Sophora

SOPHORA, Sophora L., family Leguminosae. S. japonica, a tree up to 10 m in height; S. alopecuroides L.-S. lisikhvostnikovaya (foxtail sophora)-an herbaceous perennial, 60-80 cm in height, growing in the southeastern steppes of the Union; from its flowers a yellow dye is obtained. The herb contains poisonous alkaloids: sophoridine, sophoramine, and allopine. In Central Asia and Kazakhstan, another species of S. grows in large quantities-S. pachycarpa C. A. Mey, which contains, in addition to d-sparteine, the alkaloids sophocarpine and sophocarpidine. In the Far Eastern Krai there is S. flavescens, an herbaceous plant. In southern regions it is cultivated as an ornamental plant. Local names for Asian S., which are often weeds, are brunets and gorchak. Their seeds, when they get into wheat with food, cause poisoning. At the Scientific Research Chemical-Pharmaceutical Institute at present, a comprehensive chemical and pharmacological study of various species of S. is underway. The roots of the S. plant are used in Tibetan medicine in the form of powders, decoctions, and most often as a dry aqueous extract in the treatment of neurasthenia, neuritis, tuberculosis of the lungs, bronchitis, malaria, and as an antipyretic. S. tomentosa L. (Ceylon, Moluccas), S. angustifolia S. et Z. (Japan), S. secundiflora Lag. (Mexico), and some others are poisonous, containing the alkaloid cytisine.