From ethnobotanical uses of Strychnos henningsii to antiinflammatories, analgesics and antispasmodics.

Strychnos henningsii Gilg is used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, including rheumatism, gastrointestinal complaints and snake bites. Different preliminary pharmacological experiments are described. The results show that some of the reported folk medicinal applications of S. henningsii can be at least partially explained by the presence of retuline-like alkaloids, whose use could lead to new antinociceptive (antiinflammatory and analgesic) and antispasmodic drugs.