Allamanda cathartica 軟枝黃蟬

POISONOUS PARTS

Whole plant, especially the sap.^3,4

TOXICITY

• Toxic Constituents

  Plumericin.⁵

• Mechanism

  Plumericin is a mild gastrointestinal irritant.⁶

• Poisoning Features

  Skin contact: rash, contact dermatitis. Ingestion: vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain; dehydration and electrolyte disturbance in severe cases.^6,7

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT

Supportive treatment. Correction of fluid and electrolyte disturbances in patients with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Trailing shrubs, up to 4 m long, with white latex. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3–5; leaf blades 6–15 × 4–5 cm, lateral veins of leaves flattened abaxially. Corolla yellow, tubes 4–8 cm long, amply funnelform, not inflated at base. Capsules 3–7 × 3–5 cm, sharp spiny. Seeds compressed, winged or with a membranous margin.⁸

MEDICINAL USES

In South America, roots have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of jaundice, malaria and splenomegaly. Flowers have been used as laxative.⁹

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

Plumericin can be detected by GC-FID.¹⁰