Strychnos ignatii

Ignatia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Loganiaceae
Genus:	Strychnos
Species:	S. ignatia
Binomial name
Strychnos ignatia Lindl.
Synonyms
Ignatia amara Linné filius Ignatiana philippinica Loureiro Strychnos hainanensis Merrill & Chun Strychnos ignatii Bergius Strychnos ovalifolia Wallich ex G. Don Strychnos philippensis Blanco

Strychnos ignatii is a tree in the Loganiaceae family, native to the Philippines, particularly in Catbalogan and parts of China. The plant was first described by the Czech Jesuite working in the Philippines, brother Georg Kamel who named its fruit as the Bean of St. Ignatius, after the founder of his religious order.

Etymology

The plants was originally named by Kamel for Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of Kamel's Jesuit missionary order. It is known in the Philippines under the names of: aguwason, dankkagi (Visayan language) or igasud (in Cebuano language).

Fruit

The fruit of S. ignatii is the size and shape of a pear, and has almond-like seeds known as Saint Ignatius' beans.^[1]

Strychnine

The beans of the plant contain the alkaloids strychnine and brucine. Strychnine is highly toxic, with an LD₅₀ of 1-2 milligrams per kilogram, and was formerly used in rat poisons. Brucine is also toxic, but less so.

Homeopathy

The plant is the source of a homeopathic remedy known as ignatia, ignatia amara, or as samara. This plant is a component of Nervoheel N, that is indicated for the temporary relief of symptoms of stress, including restlessness, insomnia, nervous tension and stress due to premenstrual syndrome and menopause, as well as restlessness in children (PMC - US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health).

References