Medicinal Plants: Muscoskeletal System-Muscle Relaxants Flashcards

1
Q

Curare

BOTANICAL INFORMATION: 


A
  • Amazonina
  • Loganiaceae and Menipsermaceae families
  • Vine species
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2
Q

Curare

HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT:

A
  • 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
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3
Q

Curare

MODERN UTILIZATION:

A
  • 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
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