Chilibuha (vomit nut)

The tropical deciduous tree, which is a member of the genus Strychnos and belongs to the Loganiev family, is known as the common chilibuha or vomit nut, but the most common is simply chilibuha. It is noteworthy that the seeds of the plant are the main source of poisonous alkaloids brucine and strychnine. Mostly chilibuha (emetic nut) grows in the South Asian rainforest (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka island), but this plant is often cultivated in the African tropics.

Chilibuha (vomit nut) is a deciduous tree that can reach up to fifteen meters in height. The leaves of the plant are oval, opposite, leathery and shiny, and the small, greenish-white flowers of chilibuha (vomit nut) with a tubular corolla in the axils of the leaves form semi-contiguous inflorescences.

After full maturation, the berry-like globular fruit of chilibuha (emetic nut) from the rich green turns orange-red. It is quite large and features a solid peel as well as colourless gelatinous pulp containing 2-6 seeds.

It is the seeds of the fruits of chilibukha (emetic nut) that are of particular interest to humans. Externally, these are discoid nut-like yellowish-gray bones, slightly curved. Their silky-shiny surface is covered with a large number of pressed hairs. In the center of the seed is a small rounded scar.

The hornoid seeds of chilibuha (emetic nut) are very hard and only after prolonged boiling it is cut along. Inside the seeds contain a narrow central cavity along with a large endosperm, and along the edge - a small embryo with heart-shaped lobes.

It is noteworthy that the seeds of chilibuha (emetic nut) contain indole alkaloids, of which slightly less than half is strychnine and almost the same amount of brucine. In addition, they include other indole derivatives: pseudostrichnin, womycin, struxin and colubrin. There are in the seeds of chilibuha (emetic nut) and glycoside loganin, chlorogenic acid, stigmasterin and triterpenoid cycloarsenal. By the way, a substance called brucine is used as a chemical reagent.

For medicine, the seeds of chilibuha (emetic nut) are the medicinal raw materials - for example, nitric acid salt - strychnine nitrate, as well as galenic preparations are quite often used. Previously, in the form of drugs, they were used as an effective remedy for weakness - especially the digestive system, and sometimes to strengthen the circulatory system.

In addition, strychnine nitrate derived from chilibuha (vomit) seeds is used as an agent that stimulates the central nervous system. Tincture and chilibuha dry extract (called galenic drugs) are effective in stimulating metabolism. However, all these means should always be applied strictly under the supervision of the attending physician.