Schoenocaulon officinale

Schoenocaulon officinale
Botanical illustration
Seeds
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Melanthiaceae
Genus: Schoenocaulon
Species:
S. officinale
Binomial name
Schoenocaulon officinale
Synonyms[2]
List
    • Asagraea caracasana Ernst
    • Asagraea officinalis (Schltdl. & Cham.) Lindl.
    • Asagraea sabadilla (Retz.) A.Lyons
    • Helonias officinalis (Schltdl. & Cham.) D.Don
    • Melanthium sabadilla (Retz.) Thunb.
    • Sabadilla officinalis (Schltdl. & Cham.) Standl.
    • Sabadilla officinarum Brandt & Ratzeb.
    • Skoinolon officinale (Schltdl. & Cham.) Farw.
    • Veratrum officinale Schltdl. & Cham.
    • Veratrum sabadilla Retz.
    • Xerophyllum sabadilla (Retz.) D.Don ex G.Don

Schoenocaulon officinale, called sabadilla, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Schoenocaulon, native to Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela.[2] It is highly toxic, containing veratridine, cevadine, and other alkaloids. Its seeds were used by pharmacists around the world to prepare delousing solutions and insecticides. It is still collected and used locally to rid domestic animals of fleas, ticks, lice and other parasites, and attempts are being made to revive the industry.[3]

  1. ^ G.Bentham, Pl. Hartw.: 29 (1840)
  2. ^ a b "Schoenocaulon officinale (Schltdl. & Cham.) A.Gray". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  3. ^ Hare, J. Daniel (1996). "Purification and Quantitative Analysis of Veratridine and Cevadine by HPLC". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 44: 149–152. doi:10.1021/jf9406828.