Strophanthus

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Strophanthus

Strophanthus preussii

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Apocynaceae
Genus:	Strophanthus DC., 1802

Species

See text.

Strophanthus is a genus of 35-40 species of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, native mainly to tropical Africa, extending to South Africa, with a few species in Asia, from southern India to the Philippines and southern China. The name (strophos anthos, "twisted cord flower") derives from the long twisted threadlike segments of the corolla, which in one species (S. preussii) attain a length of 30-35 cm.

The genus includes vines, shrubs and small trees. The leaves are opposite or whorled, simple broad lanceolate, 2-20 cm long, with an entire margin.

Several of the African tribes used Strophanthus as the principal ingredient in arrow poison.

Species

Strophanthus aambe
Strophanthus alterniflorus
Strophanthus amboensis
Strophanthus annamensis
Strophanthus arboreus
Strophanthus arnoldianus
Strophanthus aurantiacus
Strophanthus barteri
Strophanthus bequaertii
Strophanthus boivinni
Strophanthus brevicaudatus
Strophanthus bullenianus
Strophanthus capensis
Strophanthus caudatus (tropical Asia)
Strophanthus chinensis (southern China, Vietnam)
Strophanthus congoensis
Strophanthus courmontii
Strophanthus cumingii
Strophanthus dichotomus
Strophanthus divaricatus (southern China, Vietnam)
Strophanthus eminii (east Africa; poison: e-strophanthin)
Strophanthus glabra
Strophanthus gratus (tropical west Africa; poison: ouabain, g-strophanthin)
Strophanthus hispidus (Togo, Cameroon)
Strophanthus laurifolinus
Strophanthus kombe (east Africa; poison: k-strophanthin)
Strophanthus nicholsoni
Strophanthus petersianus (tropical Africa)
Strophanthus preussii (tropical west Africa)
Strophanthus sarmentosus (tropical Africa)
Strophanthus scandens (Mallacca)
Strophanthus speciosus (South Africa)
Strophanthus thallone
Strophanthus vanderijstii
Strophanthus welwitschii

[edit] Pharmacology

Plants from this genus produce toxic alkaloids and cardiac glycosides g-strophanthin (syn. ouabain), k-strophanthin and e-strophanthin. As ordinarily administered, the drug acts on the heart before influencing any other organ or tissue. Often indeed no other action can be observed. It is used to produce the drug Ouabain which was taken as a cardiac stimulant to treat heart failure, and is similar to the drug Digoxin produced from Digitalis purpurea.