Cereus (Selenicereus grandiflorus): A Comprehensive Reference
1. Identity and Botanical Description
1.1 Nomenclature
The plant known in commerce and herbalism as "cereus" carries the botanical name Selenicereus grandiflorus (L.) Britton & Rose, with the older synonym Cactus grandiflorus still frequently encountered in pharmacopoeial and homeopathic literature. Common names include Queen of the Night, sweet-scented cactus, large-flowered cactus, vanilla cactus, large blooming cereus, large-flowered torch thistle, lunar flower, and organillo.
The etymology of the botanical name is revealing: seleni means moon, cereus means waxy, and grandiflorus means large-flowered. The stem of the plant was previously listed in the United States as Cactus Grandiflorus in the National Formulary (1921).
1.2 Taxonomy and Morphology
The species belongs to the family Cactaceae and is native to the desert regions of the Antilles, tropical America, and Mexico. It is a climbing cactus with vining, cylindrical stems, and is usually a "functional epiphyte," meaning the plant can thrive either as an epiphyte or as a terrestrial plant. The green succulent stems are jointed, fleshy, and columnar, roughly a half to one inch across, with scant to moderate spine coverage, each joint being up to several inches in length.
Its flowers, which are sweet-scented, bloom with white petals only at night, and remain open for only approximately six hours. The very large flowers — 8 to 12 inches in diameter — emerge terminally and laterally from spine clusters. The fruits resemble a gooseberry, with a pink to orange-red to whitish color, ovoid, with numerous hair-like spines. Night-blooming cereus will not begin to flower until it is four or five years old, beginning with just a couple of flowers.
1.3 Plant Parts Used
The parts of the plant used medicinally are the young succulent stems and flowers. In herbal commerce, the flower, stem, and young shoots are all employed. The stem is traditionally collected in July when the plant is fresh.
1.4 Common Dosage Forms and Preparations
The plant is commercially available in several forms:
- A tincture from the stem is the basis of a homeopathic treatment used for many health problems.
- In human homeopathic medicine, preparations of Selenicereus grandiflorus may be used in all homeopathic dilutions, including the mother tincture. Fresh or dried overground parts of the plant are also used in traditional human phytotherapy.
- Dosages for oral administration in adults for traditional uses recommended in older standard reference texts include a liquid extract of cereus (British Pharmaceutical Codex, 1934) at 0.06–0.6 mL.
- Hydro-glycerin extracts of Cereus grandiflorus flowers have been evaluated for cosmetic applications.
2. Traditional and Historical Use
2.1 Indigenous and Pre-Colonial Use
Indigenous peoples of America used the night-blooming cereus as a topical remedy for rheumatism and itchy rashes, as well as an internal herbal remedy for worms, cystitis, and fever. The Native American tribe Death Valley Shoshone called this plant "pain in the heart" and used it to treat angina-like pains, while several other tribes used the stem to treat diabetes.
In the Caribbean, the juice of the whole plant was used to expel worms, and the stems and flowers were used in the treatment of rheumatism.
2.2 Early European Observation
Historical references to Cereus grandiflorus trace back to the 17th century, when European explorers noted the vivid night blooms of what they called the "Flor de la Noche." In colonial Cuba, friars documented its use among TaÃno healers, who prepared decoctions for respiratory ailments. A Spanish naturalist, Antonio José Cavanilles, included C. grandiflorus in his 1793 botanical compendium Icones et Descriptiones Plantarum, highlighting its reportedly soothing effects on coughs.
2.3 Eclectic and 19th-Century Herbal Medicine
In the 19th century, Italian physicians near Naples discovered that a tincture of the night-blooming cereus had an antispasmodic effect on the coronary arteries and improved blood supply to the heart. During the same century, folk practitioners in Haiti mixed powdered stems of Cereus grandiflorus with honey to soothe nervous tension and palpitations.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, extracts of night-blooming cereus were sometimes included in cardiac tonics, and early practitioners believed it could support heart function and alleviate palpitations. It was used as a folkloric medicine and as a heart tonic for blood pressure regulation and management of the symptoms of congestive heart failure. The early American folkloric notion was that night-blooming cactus was a restorative remedy for the heart, capable of improving function via nutritional and tonic effects.
2.4 Homeopathic Tradition
As recorded in Leaders in Homoeopathic Therapeutics (1898) by E. B. Nash M.D., Cactus grandiflorus was characterized by a sensation of constriction of the heart "as if an iron band prevented its normal movement," as well as general constrictions of the heart, chest, bladder, rectum, and uterus. In the homeopathic materia medica of William Boericke, the plant — listed as Selenicereus spinulosis — was described as acting on circular muscular fibers, producing "very characteristic constrictions as of an iron band" in the heart and arteries especially.
By the early 20th century, pharmaceutical homeopaths in Europe turned to the tincture of night-blooming cereus for its hypotensive actions. In a 1928 German pharmacopeia supplement, it appeared under the name Cereus grandiflorus Dil.
2.5 Traditional Uses in Other Systems
Cereus has been considered helpful as a diuretic, a stimulating cardiac tonic, and a cardiac tropho-restorative, as well as a stimulant and tonic for the spinal and motor nerves. It has also been used as a homeopathic treatment for digestive ailments with flatulence and cramp-like pains, and as an herbal remedy for pain associated with menstrual cramps.
3. Key Constituents and Active Compounds
3.1 Biogenic Amines
The primary amine constituents are tyramine and hordenine, the latter previously referred to in older literature as "cactine." The flowers contain betacyanins and flavonolglycosides, at least eight flavonoids, tyramine (at approximately 0.3% in dry matter), and hordenine.
An ion-pair HPLC technique using a reversed-phase column was used to screen plant extracts for cardiotonic amines. By this method, the positive inotropic tyramine was isolated from Selenicereus grandiflorus (L.) Britton et Rose (Wagner & Grevel, Planta Med. 1982;44(1):36–40).
Chemically, hordenine is the N,N-dimethyl derivative of tyramine, from which it is biosynthetically derived and with which it shares some pharmacological properties. Hordenine is a highly selective substrate of MAO-B and acts as a temporary reversible MAO-B inhibitor; because hordenine crosses the blood-brain barrier, it is able to inhibit MAO-B enzymes in both the body and the brain.
3.2 Flavonoids
The flavonoid fraction includes rutin, kaempferitrin, hyperoside, and isorhamnetin-3-β-(galactosyl)-rutinoside. Antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic activities have been ascribed to the class of flavonoid substances, and flavonoids have been reported to decrease capillary permeability and fragility.
3.3 Alkaloids
The plant contains isoquinoline-type alkaloids, though many of these alkaloids remain unidentified. Gas chromatographic analysis found that Selenicereus grandiflorus contains alkaloids whose molecular weights are larger than the known cactus alkaloids identified at the time.
3.4 Other Constituents
The plant is also rich in sugars such as glucose and fructose, amino acids, and organic acids including citric, fumaric, and malonic acid.
4. Mechanisms of Action
4.1 Cardiotonic Effects
The amines in night-blooming cactus are credited with the cardiotonic effects attributed to it. The amino acid tyramine is found in the plant and credited with a positive inotropic (contractility-enhancing) action. Selenicereus is reported to stimulate the heart and dilate peripheral vessels.
Night-blooming cereus contains alkaloids (including cactine/hordenine), flavonoids (isorhamnetin), and a pigment. The cardiotonic effect of cactine is considered similar in character to that of cardiac glycosides, such as those found in foxglove (Digitalis species).
Despite these characterizations, little phytochemical or pharmacological information has been formally documented for cereus; the presence of tyramine, a cardiotonic amine, may support the traditional use as a cardiac stimulant, but this has not been rigorously demonstrated in clinical settings.
The EMA's Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products concluded that the concentrations of active constituents in Selenicereus grandiflorus preparations seemed too low to exert any pharmacological effects. With respect to hordenine specifically, only an insignificant increase in heart rate for 90 seconds was observed in horses following intravenous injection of 200 mg/animal. However, after oral administration of 500 mg hordenine to horses, no effects on circulation occurred.
4.2 Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
In in vitro tests, a hydro-glycerin extract of Cereus grandiflorus flowers demonstrated broad-spectrum antioxidant action (against singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, and by ORAC test). The extract also showed a preventive effect on IL-6 release by keratinocytes in an inflammatory state induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA).
5. Scientific Evidence by Health Area
5.1 Cardiovascular System
Night-blooming cereus has a history of use in traditional herbal medicine as a treatment for hemoptysis and edema. It is perhaps best known for its use as an herbal treatment for heart conditions and is highly valued by traditional herbalists as a natural treatment for heart palpitations, angina, weak or irregular pulse, and for relieving shortness of breath.
Clinical evidence: There have been no clinical trials or modern scientific investigations on night-blooming cactus. Case reports by Dr. A.O. Jones from 1890 constitute the earliest documented clinical observations. Despite its historical use as a nervine with specificity for tachyarrhythmias, Selenicereus grandiflorus lacks extensive modern research and clinical trials. The herb has been recommended in naturopathic contexts for menopausal heart palpitations and mild congestive heart failure, yet its potential remains underutilized in contemporary research.
Cereus has been reputed to act as a cardiac stimulant and as a partial substitute for digitalis, although there is no proof of its equivalence to that drug. In summary, the evidence base for cardiovascular applications is entirely traditional and pre-modern; no randomized controlled trials or observational studies have been published.
5.2 Skin Anti-Aging and Dermatological Applications
A 2021 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology aimed at evaluating the cosmetic benefits of a natural hydro-glycerin extract of Cereus grandiflorus flowers from a Moroccan geographical origin.
In vitro tests measured antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the impact of the extract on keratinocyte metabolism and migration. The extract showed a preventive effect on IL-6 release by keratinocytes in an inflammatory state, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. The extract was also shown to increase keratinocyte and fibroblast mitochondrial activities using MitoTracker staining, and in an artificial keratinocyte wound healing test, the extract stimulated cell migration.
The extract was demonstrated to decrease stratum corneum cohesion in an ex vivo skin model, presenting a similar peeling effect as glycolic acid. The authors concluded that the Cereus grandiflorus extract appears as a valuable cosmetic ingredient towards skin protection, recovery, and refinement of skin texture.
Evidence quality: This work was conducted entirely in vitro and ex vivo. No human clinical trials of Cereus grandiflorus extract for dermatological outcomes have been published. Findings must be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating only.
5.3 Anthelmintic (Anti-Parasitic) Use
Traditional herbal references list cereus as a cardiac tonic and anthelmintic. The juice of the whole plant has been administered to expel worms, and the stems and flowers have been used in treatment of rheumatism. No scientific evidence in the form of clinical or preclinical studies corroborates the anthelmintic use.
5.4 Diuretic and Urinary Tract Applications
Cereus has traditionally been used for bladder infections and other urinary tract problems. It has been considered a diuretic in traditional herbalism. As with its cardiovascular uses, no clinical evidence exists to substantiate these applications.
5.5 Women's Health
Women have traditionally used cereus for painful or heavy menstrual periods. It has been used in homeopathic practice as a treatment for pain associated with menstrual cramps. Again, no controlled clinical studies have evaluated this use.
6. Body Systems and Health Areas of Association
- Cardiovascular system: Used as a heart tonic for blood pressure regulation and management of symptoms of congestive heart failure, and specifically indicated for weak, irregular heart action, aortic regurgitation, and angina, especially when associated with depression and lethargy.
- Nervous system: Considered a stimulant and tonic for the spinal and motor nerves in traditional herbalism.
- Urinary system: Historically used for bladder infections and other urinary tract problems.
- Musculoskeletal system: Indigenous peoples of America used it as a topical remedy for rheumatism.
- Reproductive system: Used in traditional and homeopathic practice for painful or heavy menstrual periods.
- Integumentary system: This medicinal flower is traditionally used to treat heart diseases, and emerging in vitro research has explored its cosmetic properties.
- Gastrointestinal system: Used in homeopathic treatment for digestive ailments with flatulence and cramp-like pains.
7. Dosage Forms and Reported Doses
In human homeopathic medicine, preparations may be used in all homeopathic dilutions, including the mother tincture. Fresh or dried overground parts of the plant are also used in traditional human phytotherapy, with a reported dose of 0.6 mL of a fluid extract.
Dosages for oral administration (adults) for traditional uses as recommended in older standard reference texts include the liquid extract of cereus per the British Pharmaceutical Codex (1934) at 0.06–0.6 mL.
A clinical herbal monograph (Restorative Medicine) states that low doses of night-blooming cactus, 10–100 mg once or twice daily (QD to BID), are described as clinically effective in traditional practice.
The appropriate dose of cereus depends on several factors such as the user's age and health. At present there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for cereus based on clinical trial evidence.
8. Safety Considerations and Drug Interactions
8.1 General Safety Profile
The plant is considered safe when used in small doses in the traditional manner. Mouse data report the oral LD50 to be 10,700 mg/kg body weight and the subcutaneous LD50 to be 145 mg/kg body weight. Data on acute and repeated dose toxicity of Selenicereus grandiflorus in humans has not been provided to regulatory bodies such as the EMA.
Reported adverse effects noted in traditional herbalist references include stomach upset and hallucinations. Traditional references indicate it should only be taken under professional supervision.
8.2 Cardiac Self-Medication Risk
Cardiac complaints are not considered to be suitable for self-medication. Given that cereus preparations are traditionally indicated precisely for cardiac conditions including angina, tachycardia, and heart failure, this is a clinically significant caution. There are no investigations published regarding the use of night-blooming cactus in pregnancy or lactation.
8.3 Tyramine Content and MAOI Interactions
The tyramine content of Selenicereus grandiflorus — reported at approximately 0.3% in dry matter — is of potential pharmacological relevance in patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medications. Tyramine-containing substances should not be combined with MAOIs, as the combination can lead to a hypertensive crisis. This severe blood pressure increase occurs due to the release of large amounts of amine neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine), triggered by excess tyramine.
Tyramine is a potent releaser of norepinephrine. Under normal conditions, norepinephrine is unable to accumulate to toxic levels due to the presence of MAO-A, which degrades neurotransmitters. When MAO-A is inhibited, the capacity to handle tyramine intake is significantly reduced, leaving the brain vulnerable to overstimulation of postsynaptic adrenergic receptors.
8.4 Hordenine and MAO-B
Hordenine, the second principal amine in cereus, is a highly selective substrate of MAO-B and acts as a temporary reversible MAO-B inhibitor; because it crosses the blood-brain barrier, it can inhibit MAO-B enzymes in both the body and the brain. The clinical significance of this interaction at the concentrations found in typical herbal doses of cereus has not been formally evaluated.
8.5 Interactions with Cardiac Medications
While some laboratory studies have identified the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and glycosides, which have known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, robust clinical trials in humans are lacking. Preliminary evidence suggests that extracts may have mild vasodilatory and cardiotonic effects, but these findings have not been confirmed in large-scale studies. The combination of cereus preparations with pharmaceutical cardiac drugs (e.g., digoxin, antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives) is theoretically concerning given its traditional cardiotonic activity, but no formal drug-interaction studies have been conducted.
9. Overview of Evidence Quality
The body of evidence supporting the therapeutic use of Selenicereus grandiflorus is almost entirely derived from traditional use, historical case observations, and preliminary in vitro or animal studies. Modern research on night-blooming cereus is still in its infancy. There have been no clinical trials or modern scientific investigations on night-blooming cactus as of the most recent monograph assessments. In vitro findings regarding antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in skin cells, published in 2021 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, are the most methodologically recent data, but they require human clinical confirmation before conclusions can be drawn. Traditional claims for cardiac, urinary, anthelmintic, and menstrual uses remain unverified by controlled research.
References
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