Medicinal Plants: Muscoskeletal System-Muscle Relaxants

Question 1

Curare

BOTANICAL INFORMATION: 


Answer 1

• Amazonina
• Loganiaceae and Menipsermaceae families
• Vine species

Question 2

Curare

HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT:

Answer 2

• Toxic plants mixtures used as arrow poisons
• Inner stem bark used, collect the concentrate, rolled onto dart tips
• Alkaloids-toxiferine (loganiaceae family) and tubocurarine (menispermaceae family)
• Muscle relaxants, causing paralysis when injected into the bloodstream
• Victim remains motionless but fully conscious until death by respiratory failure
  
  • Reversible if patient is kept alive using an artificial respirator, muscle function returns to normal

Question 3

Curare

MODERN UTILIZATION:

Answer 3

• Richard Gill-use of curare as a surgical muscle relaxant
  
  • Material was collected from Ecuador and Peru
• Harold Griffith-first surgeon to use isolated tubocurarine
• Species became over-harvested and near-extinction, lead to development of safe semi-synthetics
• Neuromuscular blocking agents that compete with acetylcholine to prevent the development of nerve action potential, resulting in muscle relaxation and paralysis