Strychnos nux vomica.  Strychnine tree, Poison Nut, Nux Vomica   Family: Loganiaceae    
PART USED Seeds
TASTE: Very bitter ODORLESS
ACTIONS
1. Stimulant.[1]
2. Bitter tonic.[1]
PREPARATIONS - Very toxic
Liquid extract BP  0.05-0.2 ml.[1]
Elixir (BHP1973)  5 ml.[1]
Tincture BP  0.5-2 ml.[1]
NOTE- Low dosage. Very poisonous.[1]

ORIGIN: India to Northern Australia
DESCRIPTION: Seeds; they are disk shaped, up to about 2 cm in diameter and about 0.5 cm thick, usually flattened, often with a keeled margin, greyish-green with a satiny sheen due to the closely pressed hairs. On the convex side the raphe is visible as a line going from the central hilum to the micropyle. Fracture, extremely hard and horny, showing the white cotyledons, straight radicle and small embyro.
References
[1] Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations  R.C. Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited. 1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles, Guildford ISBN 085207 1973.
Images
1. flickriver.com
2. en.wikipedia.org by H. Zell CC BY-SA 3.0
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents.
Research.
The action is mainly due to strychnine, which is a potent CNS stimulant.[1] Deaths from injestion are numerous.[1] Poisoning causes muscle stiffness and spasm, resulting in the fixed grinning expression known as "risus sardonicus" due to clamping of the jaw; contraction of the abdominals and the diaphragm arrests respiration and death may easily result.[1]
References
[1] Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations  R.C. Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited. 1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles, Guildford ISBN 085207 1973.

Strychnos nux-vomica seeds: Pharmacognostical standardization, extraction, and antidiabetic activity
Rajesh Bhati, Anupama Singh, Vikas Anand Saharan, Veerma Ram, and Anil Bhandari
Abstract
Background:
Strychnos nux-vomica, commonly known as kuchla, contains strychnine and brucine as main constituents. Minor alkaloids present in the seeds are protostrychnine, vomicine, n-oxystrychnine, pseudostrychnine, isostrychnine, chlorogenic acid, and a glycoside. Seeds are used traditionally to treat diabetes, asthma, aphrodisiac and to improve appetite.
Objective:
The present study was aimed to evaluate the various pharmacognostical characters and antidiabetic activity of S. nux-vomica seed.
Materials and Methods:
Pharmacognostical characters were performed as per the WHO guideline. Extraction was carried out in petroleum ether, chloroform, alcohol, hydroalcoholic, aqueous, and phytochemical constituents present in extracts were detected by different chemical tests. Among these extracts hydroalcoholic, aqueous extracts were evaluated for antidiabetic activity on the basis of extractive yield and phytoconstituents, in alloxan-induced diabetic rats using gliclazide as standard.
Results:
Various analytical values of S. nux-vomica extract were established. Phytoconstituents present in S. nux-vomica extracts were detected.
Conclusion:
S. nux-vomica extracts show antihyperglycemic activity in experimental animals.
J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2012 Apr-Jun; 3(2): 80–84.
doi: 10.4103/0975-9476.96523
PMCID: PMC3371563 PMID: 22707864 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov