JEQUIRITY ABRUS PRECATORIUS

JEQUIRITY (Abrus precatorius L.) X

Synonym:
- Glycine abrus L.

Activities (Jequirity) :
- Abortifacient (1; DEP; MPI; PH2; PNC; UPW); Alexeteric (f; KAB); Analgesic (f; UPW); Antiestrogenic (1; MPI); Antifertility (1; PH2; UPW); Antihistaminic (1; MPI); Antiinflammatory (f; DEP); Antitumor (1; WO2); Aphrodisiac (f; IED; UPW); Cerebrotonic (f; KAB); Cicatrizant (f; UPW); CNS-Depressant (f; UPW); Contraceptive (1; PH2; UPW); Cytotoxic (f; WO2);Depurative (f; KAB; UPW); Diaphoretic (f; DAA); Diuretic (f; IED; UPW); Emetic (f; DEP); Emollient (f; UPW); Expectorant (f; UPW); Hemolytic (1; PNC); Hemostat (f; UPW); Hypotensive (1; MPI); Irritant (f; PH2); Negative Chronotropic (1; MPI); Negative Inotropic (1; MPI); Parasympathomimetic (1; MPI); Poison (f; PH2); Pressor (1; ZUL); Propecic (f; WO2); Schistosomicide (1; ZUL); Teratogenic (1; PNC); Tonic (f; UPW); Uterotonic (f; ZUL); Vermifuge (1; UPW; ZUL).

Indications (Jequirity) :
- Adenopathy (f; KAB); Alopecia (f; KAB); Anemia (f; UPW); Anuria (f; UPW); Aphthosa (f; DAA); Ascites (1; WO2); Asthma (f; KAB); Bite (f; UPW); Bleeding (f; UPW); Blennorrhea (f; UPW); Bronchosis (f; DEP; PH2); Bruise (f; KAB); Cancer (1; JLH; WO2); Cancer, face (1; JLH; WO2); Cancer, hand (1; JLH; WO2); Cancer, skin (1; JLH; UPW; WO2); Cancer, vagina (1; JLH; WO2); Cancer, vulva (1; JLH; WO2); Cardiopathy (f; UPW); Cholera (f; DEP); Cold (f; ZUL); Colic (f; UPW); Conjunctivosis (f; PH2; UPW); Convulsion (f; UPW); Corneosis (f; DEP); Cough (f; PH2; UPW; ZUL); Cystosis (f; UPW); Dermatosis (f; DEP; JLH); Diarrhea (f; UPW); Diphtheria (f; DEP); Dropsy (f; DAA); Dysentery (f; KAB); Dusgeusia (f; KAB); Dysuria (f; SKJ); Enterosis (f; UPW); Epithelioma (f; JLH); Fever (f; DAA; KAB); Freckle (f; UPW); Fungus (1; MPI); Gastrosis (f; UPW); Gingivosis (f; UPW); Gonorrhea (f; UPW); Gravel
(f; SKJ); Headache (f; IED); Hemorrhoid (f; DEP); Hepatosis (f; PH2); High Blood Pressure (1; MPI); Hoarseness (f; KAB); Hookworm (f; UPW); Infertility (f; ZUL); Inflammation (f; DEP; KAB; PH2); Insanity (f; UPW); Jaundice (f; UPW); Leprosy (f; UPW); Leukoderma (f; KAB); Leukorrhea (f; DEP); Lumbago (f; KAB); Lupus (f; UPW); Malaria (f; UPW); Mucososis (f; JLH); Mycosis (1; MPI); Nausea (f; UPW); Nephrosis (f; UPW); Neurosis (f; UPW); Nyctalopia (f; SKJ); Ophthalmia (f; GMH; UPW); Pain (f; UPW); Panus (f; KAB); Paralysis (f; UPW); Pertussis (f; DEP); Pharyngosis (f; UPW); Pulmonosis (f; PH2; UPW); Respirosis (f; PH2); Rheumatism (f; IED; UPW); Schistosomiasis (1; UPW; ZUL); Sciatica (f; KAB); Snakebite (f; UPW); Sore (f; UPW); Sore Throat (f; UPW); Staphylococcus (1; MPI); Stomatosis (f; UPW); Swelling (f; DEP); Syphilis (f; UPW); Trachoma (1; UPW); Tuberculosis (f; UPW); Tumor (1; WO2); Ulcer (f; ZUL); Vaginosis (f; JLH); VD (f; UPW); Vomiting (f; UPW); Vulvosis (f; JLH); Wart (f; ZUL); Water Retention (f; IED; UPW); Worm (1; DAA; UPW; ZUL); Wound (f; UPW).

Dosages (Jequirity) :
- 5 - 7 grains for pertussis (DEP); some Africans take a dangerous 200-g powdered seed as a powdered contraceptive, the effect lasting 13 menstrual cycles (UPW).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Jequirity) :
- Even though the plant contains the very useful glycyrrhizin, I consider it too poisonous for folk medicine. Two seeds have been enough to kill children (PH2), three to kill a horse (UPW). Abrin, the lectin, can cause coma, confusion, convulsions, dehydration, gastroenterosis, and hypotension (BRU). Aqueous seed extract is abortifacient; LD100 2 mg/kg ipr mouse (MPI), LD40 = 25 mg/kg orl mouse (MPI). If the leaves really contain a reported 10% glycyrrhizin, and a bigger if, no toxins, they might share many of the biological activities of licorice. One study (Choi et al., 1989) found no glycyrrhizin, rather four abrusosides and three other sweet glycosides based on the novel cycloartane-type aglycon. Purified abrusosides may prove useful as commercial sweeteners and lack the toxicity known in glycyrrhizin. More extensive toxicity tests need to be conducted (ZUL). Enzymes in abrin inhibit protein
synthesis, causing cell death, more so in tumor than in healthy cells (ZUL).