92-2 
History and Habitat.—This common weed is indigenous to Europe and Asia, 
growing there as here—about roadsides and dwellings. Since its introduction into 
this country it has spread rapidly westward, its seeds being numerous and readily 
carried about by both man and animals. It flowers from June to October. The 
herb is so rank that man, the jackass, and caterpillar are the only animals that 
will eat of it. The young stems, stripped of their rind, may be eaten raw or boiled, 
as a salad with oil, or a potage with vinegar. (Withering.) } 
The previous uses of this plant have been a decoction of the root in pulmo- 
nary catarrh, rheumatism, gout; and a depurant in scrofula, scurvy, venereal erup- 
tions, lepra, and kindred affections, in which it is even now considered better in many 
cases than sarsaparilla. It is also diuretic. The powdered seeds have been used 
as a diuretic, and application for the cure of styes. Woodville says* that he 
“never had an opportunity of observing the effects of the root, except as a 
diuretic, and in this way we have known it succeed in two dropsical cases, where 
other powerful medicines had been ineffectually used; and as it neither excites 
nausea or increases irritation, it may occasionally deserve a trial where more 
active remedies are improper.” 
The root is officinal in the U. S. Ph.: in the Eclectic Materia Medica the 
following preparations are given: Jufusum Arctii; Extractum Arctii; and S sy rupus 
Aralie Compositus.+ 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The fresh root gathered in Autumn, 
before the frost has touched the plant deeply, should be chopped and pounded to 
a pulp and weighed. Then two parts by weight of alcohol are taken, the pulp well 
mixed with one-sixth part of it, and the rest of the alcohol added. After the 
whole has been thoroughly stirred, pour it into a well-stoppered bottle and allow 
it to stand eight days in a dark, cool place. 
The tincture, separated from this mass by filtration, should be clear and trans- 
parent. It should have a slighly brownish-orange color by transmitted light, and an 
acid reaction. This tincture gives no odor or taste by which it may be identified. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.— Z appine.—This peculiar bitter principle was 
discovered by Messrs. Trimble and Macfarland,t and judged by them an alkaloid, © 
as it answered to several of the alkaloid tests. It is described as an amorphous, 
intensely bitter body, with a faintly alkaline reaction. Its solubility and peculiar 
physical properties are as yet uninvestigated ; it cannot, however, be soluble in 
cold alcohol to any great extent, as our tincture does not show its presence, at 
_ least to the taste. 
Oil of Lappa.§—This fixed oj] exists in the 
. seeds in the proportion of 15.4 
per cent. It is yellow, bland, not soluble in cold a 
Icohol, and has a sp. gr. of .930. 
* Med. Bot., i, 34. 
¢ Containing Aralia Spinosa and nudicaulis (root), Sassafras (root bark), Rumex crispus (root), Burdock (root), 
Sambucus (flowers), Guaiacum (wood), and Iris (root), 
{ Am. Four, Phar. 1885, p. 127. 
2 Ibid. 
