斷腸草是葫蔓藤科植物葫蔓藤，一年生的藤本植物。
其主要的毒性物質是葫蔓藤鹼。民說，吃下後腸子會變黑粘連，人會腹痛不止而死。
馬錢科胡蔓藤屬植物胡蔓藤， 一味草藥，有毒，以根、葉及全草入藥。
本品含多種極毒的鈎吻鹼，誤食能致命。中毒後引起暈眩，咽、腹劇痛，口吐白沫，
瞳孔散大，下顎脫落，肌肉無力，心臟及呼吸衰竭而死亡。
Gelsemium elegans Benth (G. elegans)
Gelsemium is a Latinized form of the Italian word for jasmine, gelsomino.
G. elegans is also nicknamed "heartbreak grass".
Four major alkaloids (gelsemine, koumine, gelsevirine, and gelsenicine)
have been isolated from G. elegans.
Recently, interest has arisen to investigate the pharmaceutical potential of
G. elegans alkaloids
to treat anxiety and depression.
【2013-10】
