Studies On Toxicology And Its Toxicio-Pathology Of Gelsemium Elegans Benth

The purpose of the studies was to know the toxicology of Gelsemium total alkaloids , i. e. their impacts on respiration, heart rate , blood pressure, intestinal movement by 5 concentrations(0. 5mg/kg 1.Omg/kg 2. Omg/kg 4. Omg/kg 8. Omg/kg) , their impacts on intestinal movement in vitro and uterine contraction of rabbits and heart rate and myocardial contractility of toads by 5 concentrations(0. 1%, 0. 2%> 0. 3%> 0.4%, 0.8%, 1. 6%), The results of the studies showed as follow:1 Gelsemium total alkaloids which were injected into vein 4 mg per weight inhibited respiratory remarkably . In early stage of poisoning , rabbit breath became fast and deep , and then became light, slow and irregular. Later the rabbits twitched occasionally or breathed intermittently. But heart was still beating after the respiratory stopped.2 Gelsemium total alkaloids which were injected into vein 4 mg per weight slowed heart rate and myocardial contractility , reduced cardiac output , and dropped blood pressure. Total alkaloids acted on cardiac muscle directly.3 Gelsemium total alkaloids of 0.8 percent inhibited intestinal movement , and acted on it directly , but they were not as good as adrenaline .They also inhibited uterine contraction.The studies were also to observe the changes of clinical pathology of acute poisoning rabbits which were injected Gelsemium total alkaloids and chronic poisoning chicken which were feed the powder of Gelsemium elegans benth. The results of the studies showed as follow:1 Clinical symptoms of the acute poisoning animals were dyspnoea , irregular breath, muscle thrill. Macropathological examining showed all blood vessels and viscera were hyperemia. Micropathological examining changes showed general collapse of the lung , a little emphysema , granular degeneration of the heart, hyperemia granular degeneration and vacuolar degeneration of the kidney , general fatty degeneration of the liver.2 Powder of Gelsemium elegans benth of 3 proportions (1%, 2% , 4%)were added into chicken' s fodder . At the dosage of 1% , the chicken grew faster than the control group . At the dosage of 4% , the chicken grew slowly and showed toxication . The Clinical symptoms were depression , degradation of appetite, reduction of weight , flowing of saliva, and incapability on legs . The pathological changes showed granular degeneration of the liver , cardiac muscle looseness.In conclusion, Gelsemium total alkaloids inhibit respiratory centre, act on vague nerve and cardiac muscle directly, and cause circulation obstacle . Therefore , they can strengthen the damage of viscera such as liver and kidney. The main pathological change is collapse of lung which can result in lacking of oxygen , breath obstacle and cell degeneration.