Delphinium
Delphinium

Background

Avoid confusion with Consolida orientalis (Delphinium orientale).

People use this for...

Orally, delphinium is used as an anthelmintic, diuretic, sedative, and appetite stimulant.

Likely Unsafe ...when used orally. Delphinium can be toxic to the heart and respiratory systems (17).

Likely Unsafe ...when used orally (17); avoid using.

There is insufficient reliable information available about the effectiveness of delphinium.

Natural Medicines rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Dosing & administration

    Adverse effects

    General: Orally, delphinium can cause bradycardia, hypotension, cardiac arrest, and respiratory failure (2). Animal deaths from poisoning are common (18).

    Interactions with pharmaceuticals

    None known.

    Interactions with herbs & supplements

    None known.

    Interactions with foods

    None known.

    Interactions with lab tests

    None known.

    Interactions with diseases

    None known.

    Mechanism of action

    The applicable part of delphinium is the flower. Delphinium has a paralyzing effect on peripheral and motor nerve endings (18). The alkaloid constituents are thought to be cardiotoxic and seem to be responsible for the curare-like paralysis of the respiratory system (2).

    References

    2Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
    17Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
    18Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
    vital.ly has licensed professional monographs from TRC Healthcare. Full monographs are available to Pro practitioner accounts.
    This monograph was last reviewed on 22/07/2021 03:43:29 and last updated on 10/07/2015 17:44:29. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
    Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.