Gelsemium (Gelsemium sempervirens syn. Yellow jessamine; Wild woodbine) A perennial climber of the Loganiaceae family with opposite, green lanceolate leaves bearing fragrant clusters of yellow trumpet-shaped flowers forming in the axils, growing up to 12 m in rich forest soils in North America. All parts of the plant are highly toxic. This plant, sometimes referred to as American jasmine, is no relation to any of the Jasminoides.
Prior to the 19th.century, very little was known about the plant. It first came to notice when taken up by the “Eclectics”, a group of pioneering physicians among the white settlers. They observed how extracts from the roots were used by the native medicine-men to relieve intense pain caused either by disease or injury.
However, some of the early experiments proved to be fatal for the patients. An interesting case arose in the 1850s in South Carolina where a farmer who had been crushed by a horse and was in intense pain, was given Gelsemium tea in mistake for another plant. The patient promptly went into colvulsions and vomited, but on recovering, discovered that he was free from pain.
Gelsemium contains alkaloids, principally Gelseminine and Gelsemine; coumarins, tannins and iridoids. It is a powerful relaxant to the central nervous system, a vasodilator, analgesic, hypotensive, anti-spasmodic, anti-hysteria, and a tranquilliser.
Herbalists and homeopaths use this plant with great care, but it has been found to be effective in cases of migraine, facial neuralgia, cramp, intermittent claudication (disabling lameness or spasmodic pain in the legs due to insufficient arterial supply), coccydinia (pain in the tailbone), osteopathetic lesions, restlessness in children, diaphoretic, febrifuge, cardiac arrhythmia, contracted pupils and circulatory excitement.
In North American folk medicine there is a long history of Gelsemium being used to treat sexually transmitted diseases, dysentery, diarrhoea, fevers, insomnia, pelvic disorders in women, leucorrhoea, and severe pain.
Gelsemium must not be taken by anyone that has a heart condition or low blood pressure.
There have been many attempts to grow this climber in northern Europe, but the results have been disappointing although there is no reason why this handsome plant should not grow here.
Next week Groundsel.
