It is applied in neuroscience research as a glycine receptor antagonist in ligand binding assays and NMR studies as a calibration standard in analytical chemistry like HPLC and historically in toxicology pharmacology and educational labs.

Its primary research purpose is to investigate central nervous system effects glycine receptor inhibition neurostimulation and toxicity mechanisms while it has been used historically as a rodenticide and stimulant (though now restricted).

Strychnine hemisulfate salt is a white to off-white crystalline powder chemically formulated as (CHNO)HSO with a molecular weight of approximately 383.45 gmol and CAS number 60-41-3 derived from the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree as a highly toxic alkaloid salt.