Ignatius Bean
OTHER NAME(S): Bean of St. Ignatius, Fiève de Saint-Ignance, Habas de San Ignacio, Ignatia, Ignatia Amara, Lu Song Guo, Saint Ignatius-Beans, Strychnos ignatii, Strychnos tieute, Habas De San Ignacio, Fève De Saint-Ignace
Overview
Ignatius bean is the seed of the St. Ignatius tree. The bean is used to make medicine.
Despite serious safety concerns, some people use Ignatius bean to keep from fainting or as a bitter or tonic, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Ignatius bean contains the poisons strychnine and brucine. These chemicals affect the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle.
Ignatius bean contains the poisons strychnine and brucine. These chemicals affect the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Preventing fainting.
- Other uses.
More evidence is needed to rate Ignatius bean these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Ignatius bean is UNSAFE. Two of the chemicals in Ignatius bean, strychnine and brucine, are considered poisonous. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned strychnine from nonprescription drug products in 1989.
Side effects and toxicities include restlessness, feelings of anxiety, heightened sense perception, enhanced reflexes, dizziness, painful neck and back stiffness, twitching, jaw and neck spasms, painful convulsions of the entire body, increased muscle tension, difficulty in breathing, seizures, kidney failure, and death.
Long-term use of Ignatius bean, even in amounts so small that they don't seem to cause side effects, can be fatal.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Ignatius bean is UNSAFE. Two of the chemicals in Ignatius bean, strychnine and brucine, are considered poisonous. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned strychnine from nonprescription drug products in 1989.
Side effects and toxicities include restlessness, feelings of anxiety, heightened sense perception, enhanced reflexes, dizziness, painful neck and back stiffness, twitching, jaw and neck spasms, painful convulsions of the entire body, increased muscle tension, difficulty in breathing, seizures, kidney failure, and death.
Long-term use of Ignatius bean, even in amounts so small that they don't seem to cause side effects, can be fatal.
It's UNSAFE for anyone to take Ignatius bean. But Ignatius bean is especially dangerous for people with the following conditions:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to use Ignatius bean if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is poisonous, and can harm you and the baby.
Liver disease: Strychnine builds up in individuals with liver damage, making poisoning more likely, even with small doses.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Ignatius Bean overview.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of Ignatius bean depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for Ignatius bean. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
References
- Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
- Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
- Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
- Hardman JG, Limbird LL, Molinoff PB, eds. Goodman and Gillman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
- Oberbaum, M., Schreiber, R., Rosenthal, C., and Itzchaki, M. Homeopathic treatment in emergency medicine: a case series. Homeopathy. 2003;92(1):44-47.
- Yarnell E, Abascal K, Hooper C. Clinical Botanical Medicine. Larchmont, NY: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc Publishers, 2003.
- Hardman J, Limbird L. Goodman and Gillman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
- Ellenhorn M. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
- Gruenwald J. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.