Gelsemium elegans
Gelsemium elegans, commonly known as Heartbreak Grass, is a climbing woody vine native to East Asia. Renowned for its striking, bell-shaped flowers, this plant contains potent alkaloids. While historically used in traditional medicine, its extreme toxicity requires careful handling, as it can be fatal if ingested improperly.
- Scientific name: Gelsemium elegans
- Family: Gelsemiaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianales, it is classified under the family Gelsemiaceae. Ultimately, it is categorized within the genus Gelsemium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Gelsemiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Gelsemium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Gelsemium elegans, is recognized by several distinct common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese-speaking areas, it is referred to as 钩吻 (zh-hans), 鉤吻 (zh-hant), and 鈎吻 (zh-hk). In Japan, it is called ゲルセミウム・エレガンス (ja), while in Vietnam, it is commonly known as Lá ngón (vi).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 钩吻 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 鉤吻 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 鈎吻 | Wikidata |
| ja | ゲルセミウム・エレガンス | Wikidata |
| vi | Lá ngón | Wikidata |
| zh | 鉤吻 | Wikidata |
| lzh | 鉤吻 | Wikidata |
| th | มะเค็ด | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 钩吻 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 鉤吻 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, Gelsemium elegans, exhibits a specific distribution across several key regions in Asia. In China, its presence is documented across the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. The species is also naturally found within the island of Taiwan in Eastern Asia. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, it can be located in the Assam region. Together, these locations define the primary geographical range of this medicinal species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Laos | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Myanmar | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Thailand | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Vietnam | WCVP |
| Malesia | Borneo | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Gelsemium elegans, is a woody climber whose medicinal properties are derived from various anatomical components. The stems serve as the structural support for its climbing habit, while the leaves are typically used in traditional applications. The roots are a primary source of bioactive compounds, specifically when focusing on the vascular bundle region of mature roots, which contains concentrated chemical constituents. In many pharmacological preparations, the whole medicinal material is utilized to ensure a complete profile of its potent alkaloids.- Total parts
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 17
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stems | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| roots | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| whole medicinal material | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| vascular bundle region of mature roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| shoots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pith region of mature stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf veins of mature leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epidermis region of mature stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Gelsemium elegans has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include koumine, 11-hydroxygelsenicine, 14,15-dihydroxygelsenicine, 14-acetoxy-15-hydroxygelsenicine, 14-acetoxygelselegine.
- Total chemicals
- 23
- Scientific sources
- 24
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| koumine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 11-hydroxygelsenicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14,15-dihydroxygelsenicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14-acetoxy-15-hydroxygelsenicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14-acetoxygelselegine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14-acetoxygelsenicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14-hydroxygelsenicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14alpha-hydroxyelegansamine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 14alpha-hydroxygelsamydine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1a | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Gelsemium elegans has 2 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Anxiolytic.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Gelsemium elegans has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, neuropathic pain, analgesic, anxiolytic, cancers.
- Total uses
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neuropathic pain | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| food poisoning | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| nervous system | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neuralgia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| skin ulcers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |