Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants

See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer

Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - July 29, 2008

From: Cagayan de Oro , Philippine
Region: Other
Topic: Medicinal Plants
Title: Question about Allamanda cathartica
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

how would i prove that allamanda cathartica is an antidote for anti-tetanus in a cheaper way?

ANSWER:

First of all, Allamanda cathartica (allamanda) is native to Brazil and not to North America. Since our focus and expertise are with plants native to North America, this is not a plant for which we have information at hand. We did learn by Googling its name that it has long been used in folk remedies to treat malaria. One study by S. Nayak et al., "Evaluation of wound healing activity of Allamanda cathartica L. and Laurus nobilis. L. extracts on rats" (BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006; 6: 12) gives you a sort of model for what would need to be done to determine if this plant has applications to tetanus. You would need to carry out a rigorous scientific study to show that allamanda was as effective, or better than, the current treatment, immune globulin and penicillin, in treating tetanus. Such a project would require a laboratory, non-human test animals, and someone with scientific credentials to carry out the experiments. It would probably require a lengthy study and, no doubt, be expensive. If you have substantial evidence that it is effective against tetanus, you might be able to interest researchers at a university or a drug company to test it scientifically.

Native Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

rate this answer

Tuesday - July 29, 2008

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

More Medicinal Plants Questions