Piscidia erythrina

Medowbeautynursey.com. (n.d.). Piscidia piscipula. Retrieved from: http://meadowbeautynursery.com/jamaica-dogwood/

Botanical Name: Piscidia erythrina
Common name: Jamaica Dogwood
Family: Fabaceae (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
Parts used: Root Bark (Bone, 2003, p. 289) Stem (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)

Folklore and traditional use: Originated in West India, traditionally used as a fish poison (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573).

 

Constituents: Isoflavins (incl. lisetin, jamaicin, ichtyone); Rotenoids (rotenone, milletone, isomilletone); and organic acids (incl. piscidic acid, beta-sitosterol and tannins) (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)

 

Actions

• Nervine (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Anodyne (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Antispasmodic (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573; Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Analgesic (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Mild sedative (Bone, 2003, p. 289)

 

Indications

• Migrane (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Neuralgia (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Pain relief from nervous tension (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Toothache (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Ovarian and uterine pain (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)
• Insomnia (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Anxiety (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Dysmenorrhea (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Muscular spasm (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Rheumatism (Bone, 2003, p. 289)

 

Preparation: tincture, fluidextract or decoction (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)

 

Dosage: 3-6mL of 1:2 liquid extract/day (20-40mL/week) (Bone, 2003, p. 289)

 

Cautions & Contradictions:

• Overdose produces toxic effects (Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573; Bone, 2003, p. 289)
• Contraindicated in cardiac insufficiency (Bone, 2003, p. 289)

 

Interactions: May increase effects of concomitant therapies (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 573)