Stemonaceae

The Stemonaceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants placed in the order Pandanales. The family consists of four genera with ca 37 known species. A rich collection of over 130 Stemona alkaloids are identified from the four genera in Stemonaceae. Alkaloids from the Stemonaceae family contain useful biological compounds with insecticidal activities. In Laos, people use them against fleas and lice by making an infusion which they drink to make their blood poisonous. Plants from the family are used for the preparation of a fish poison. Others play a role in folk medicine and are valued for their antibacterial, antitussive, antifungal, and other properties against lung or skin diseases.