8/11/2016

NaturalMedicinesComprehensiveDatabase

3120WestMarchLaneStockton,California95219
www.naturaldatabase.comEmail:mail@naturaldatabase.com
PH(209)4722244Fax(209)4722249

MADAGASCAR PERIWINKLE
AlsoKnownAs:

CapePeriwinkle,Catharanthe,Catharanthus,ChangChuHua,ChurchFlower,
Magdalena,Myrtle,OldMaid,Periwinkle,PervenchedeMadagascar,Pervenche
Rose,RamGoatRose,Ratanjot,RedPeriwinkle,RoseAmre,Vinca,
VincapervincadeMadagascar.
CAUTION:SeeseparatelistingsforPeriwinkleandMyrtle.

ScientificName:

Catharanthusroseus,synonymsVincarosea,Lochnerarosea,Ammocallisrosea.
Family:Apocynaceae.

PeopleUseThisFor:

Orally,Madagascarperiwinkleisusedfordiabetes,cancer,asacoughremedy,for
easinglungcongestion,throatinflammation,andasadiuretic.
Topically,itisusedasahemostatic,forinsectbites,waspstings,eyeirritation,
infection,andinflammation.

Safety:

LIKELYUNSAFE...whentheplantorrootareusedorally.Madagascarperiwinkle
containsvincaalkaloidswhichcancausedeath(6).
Thereisinsufficientreliableinformationavailableaboutthesafetyofthetopicaluse
ofMadagascarperiwinkle.
PREGNANCY:LIKELYUNSAFE...whenusedorallybecauseithasabortifacient
andteratogenicproperties(19).
LACTATION:LIKELYUNSAFE...whenusedorally(6)avoidusing.

Effectiveness:

Thereisinsufficientreliableinformationavailableabouttheeffectivenessof
Madagascarperiwinkle.

MechanismofAction:

TheapplicablepartsofMadagascarperiwinklearetheabovegroundparts.The
vincaalkaloids,vincristineandvinblastine,blockcellmitosis,have
immunosuppressiveeffects,andinhighconcentrations,exerteffectsonnucleicacid
andproteinsynthesis(6,15).Theconstituent,catharanthine,demonstratesdiuretic
properties(6).Hypotensiveconstituents,reserpineandalstonine,havealsobeen
isolatedfromMadagascarperiwinkleroot(6).Theconstituent,ajmalicine,may
improvecerebralbloodflowithasbeencombinedwithrauwolfiaalkaloidsfor
treatinghighbloodpressure(6).Concentratedextractsarereportedtolowerblood
glucose(6),butstudiesbyonepharmaceuticalcompanyfoundtheplanthadnoeffect
onbloodglucoselevels(6).

AdverseReactions:
http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/PrintVersion.aspx?cs=&s=ND

1/3

8/11/2016

NaturalMedicinesComprehensiveDatabase

Orally,theplantisanhallucinogen,andhascausedseizures,GIupset,
hepatotoxicity,andalopecia(17).AdverseeffectsofVincaalkaloidsincludenausea,
vomiting,alopecia,dizziness,nystagmus,vertigo,hearingimpairment,leukopenia,
thrombocytopenia,bleeding,hyperuricemia,neurotoxicity,andpossiblydeath(6,15).

InteractionswithHerbs&Supplements:

Noneknown.

InteractionswithDrugs:
ANTIDIABETESDRUGS
InteractionRating=ModerateBecautiouswiththiscombination.
Severity=ModerateOccurrence=PossibleLevelofEvidence=D

Madagascarperiwinklemaycausehypoglycemia(6,19)monitorbloodglucose
controlclosely.

LITHIUM
InteractionRating=ModerateBecautiouswiththiscombination.
Severity=ModerateOccurrence=ProbableLevelofEvidence=D

Madagascarperiwinkleisthoughttohavediureticproperties.Theoretically,dueto
thesepotentialdiureticeffects,Madagascarperiwinklemightreduceexcretionand
increaselevelsoflithium.Thedoseoflithiummightneedtobedecreased.
InteractionswithFoods:

Noneknown.

InteractionswithLabTests:

BLOODGLUCOSE:Madagascarperiwinklemaylowerbloodglucose.Thereis
conflictinginformationaboutpossiblehypoglycemicactivity(6,19).

InteractionswithDiseasesorConditions:

DIABETES:Madagascarperiwinklemaycausehypoglycemia(6,19).
SURGERY:Madagascarperiwinklemightaffectbloodglucoselevels.
Theoretically,Madagascarperiwinklemightinterferewithbloodglucosecontrol
duringandaftersurgicalprocedures.TellpatientstodiscontinueMadagascar
periwinkleatleast2weeksbeforeelectivesurgicalprocedures.

Dosage/Administration:

Notypicaldosage.

Editor'sComments:

Madagascarperiwinkleisconsideredlikelyunsafeavoid,duetopresenceoftoxic
vincaalkaloids.Thevincaalkaloids,vinblastineandvincristine,isolatedfrom
Madagascarperiwinkle,areFDAapprovedforuseaschemotherapeuticagentsto
treatcancers,includingHodgkin'sdisease,leukemia,Kaposi'ssarcoma,malignant
lymphomas,mycosisfungoidesneuroblastoma,andWilm'stumor(6).

Thismonographwaslastreviewedon12/24/2012andlastupdatedon12/24/2012.Monographsare
reviewedand/orupdatedmultipletimespermonthandatleastonceperyear.Ifyouhavecommentsor
suggestionsonsomethingthatshouldbereviewedorincluded,pleasetelltheeditors.Fordetailsaboutour
evidencebasedapproach,seeourEditorialPrinciplesandProcess.

NaturalMedicinesdisclaimsanyresponsibilityrelatedtomedicalconsequencesofusinganymedicalproduct.Effortis
madetoensurethattheinformationcontainedinthisNaturalMedicinesmonographisaccurateatthetimeitwas
published.However,wecannotguaranteetheinformationiserrorfreeanddisclaimanyliabilityorresponsibilityfor
anyrelianceonit.Theinformationisalsonotintendedtobeasubstituteformedicalorotherprofessionaladvice,and
youshouldnotuseanyproductorsubstancesreferencehereinwithoutconsultingamedicalprofessional.Consumers
andmedicalprofessionalswhoconsultthisNaturalMedicinesmonographarecautionedthatanymedicalorproduct
relateddecisionisthesoleresponsibilityoftheconsumerand/orthehealthcareprofessional.AlegalLicense
Agreementsetslimitationsondownloading,storing,orprintingcontentfromNaturalMedicines.Exceptforany
http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/PrintVersion.aspx?cs=&s=ND

2/3

8/11/2016

NaturalMedicinesComprehensiveDatabase

possibleexceptionswrittenintoyourLicenseAgreement,noreproductionofthismonographoranycontentfrom
NaturalMedicinesispermittedwithoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher.Unlawfultodownload,store,ordistribute
contentfromNaturalMedicinesorthissite.
Forthelatestcomprehensivedataonthisandeveryothernaturalmedicine,healthprofessionalsshouldconsultthe
ProfessionalVersionofNaturalMedicines.Itisfullyreferencedandupdateddaily.
Copyright19952016TherapeuticResearchFaculty,publishersofNaturalMedicinesComprehensiveDatabase,
Prescriber'sLetter,andPharmacist'sLetter.Allrightsreserved.

www.naturaldatabase.com
mail@naturaldatabase.com
PH(209)4722244

http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/PrintVersion.aspx?cs=&s=ND

3/3