Madigascar Periwinkle

Synonyms Ammocallis rosea Small, Lochnera rosea (1.) Reichb., Vinca rosea 1. The Madagascar periwinkle is apparently from the West Indies (Caribbean) but was first described for Madagascar (Morton 1977, 237*). It has pink flowers but also occurs in a pure white form (Catharanthus roseus f. albus [Sweet] Woodson). This evergreen is one of the truly well-investigated medicinal plants and is the subject of a rich monographic literature. In Caribbean folk medicine, periwinkle tea is used to treat diabetes. In Florida, the leaves are dried and smoked as a marijuana substitute (see Cannabis indica) (Morton 1977,241*). It has often been claimed that the dried leaves are also smoked in Europe and are able to produce "euphoria and hallucinations" (Schuldes 1995,30*). On the islands of Guadeloupe, the plant is known as herba aux sorciers ("plant of the sorcerers"); it may possibly be used in magical voodoo rites (see zombie poison). The plant contains more than seventy alka10ids' most of them indole alkaloids, some of which are of the ibogaine type (e.g., catharanthine; Scott et al. 1980). The root cortex contains the sedative and antihypertensive alstonine (cf. Alstonia scholaris) (Morton 1977, 238*). Recent investigations have shown that different laboratory methods can influence the biosynthesis of indole alkaloids and may even be able to control it to produce a desired outcome (Schrisema and Verpoorte 1992). In the future, this may make it possible to breed strains that will in fact produce psychoactive indoles of the ibogaine or voacangine types (cf. Tabernanthe iboga, Voacanga spp.). The use of Catharanthus is not without risk. Chronic use has been observed to result in severe damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems (Morton 1977, 241 *; Roth et al. 1994, 204*). The dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor 1.), also known as the sorcerer's violet (Emboden 1974, 66*), is occasionally characterized as having psychoactive properties (Schultes and Hofmann 1980, 366*). It contains a number of indole alkaloids (including vincamine) with antihypertensive effects (Roth et al. 1994, 730*; Wilms 1972). "It was believed to offer protection against witches and storms and was also used at seances. Periwinkle was a component of many love drinks" (Weustenfeld 1995,45*).

Literature (selection) Schrisema, J., and R. Verpoorte. 1992. Regulation of indole alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus cell suspension cultures, investigated with IH-NMR. Planta Medica 58 suppl. (1): A608. Scott, A. Ian, Hajime Mizukami, Toshifumi Hirata, and Siu-Leung Lee. 1980. Formation of catharanthine, akuammicine and vindoline in Catharanthus roseus suspension cells. Phytochemistry 19:488-89. Wilms, K. 1972. Chemie und Wirkungsmechanismus von Vinca-Alkaloiden. Planta Medica 22:324-33.