HYDRASTIS. 65 



very numerous, hypogynous, linear-spatulate ; anthers oval, innate. Ova- 

 ries 12 or more, 2-ovuled ; styles short, stigmas dilated, 2-lipped, indupli- 

 cate. Fruit a crimson head of baccate 1- or 2-seeded carpels, succulent, 

 and resembling a large raspberry. Seeds obovate ; testa crustaceous, 

 nearly black, shining, lined with a thin membranaceous tegmen. 



An herbaceous perennial, with a horizontal rhizome, from which is sent 

 up in early spring a simple hairy stem 6 to 12 inches high, bearing two 

 leaves, and, at its summit, a single flower. There is generally also a single 

 radical leaf on a long petiole. The leaves are palmately 3- to 5-lobed, the 

 lobes acute, unequally serrate ; the lower cauline leaf petiolate, the upper 

 sessile. The leaves, at the time of flowering, are small and not fully ex- 

 panded, but subsequently they increase much in size, ultimately attaining 

 a width of 5 to 6 inches. 



The rhizome is one-half inch to 2 inches in length, from one-eighth to one- 

 half inch in diameter, simple, or with a few short branches, terminated by 

 a broad scar, longitudinally wrinkled, annulate from leaf scars, and bearing, 

 especially below, numerous small fibrous roots. Both rhizome and roots 

 are of a yellow color, and have an intensely bitter taste, without astringency. 



Habitat. Canada to Carolina and westward. Rare east of the Alle- 

 ghanies, more common along these mountains and west of them. Grows 

 in rich moist woods. 



Parts Used. The rhizome and rootlets United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Constituents. The most important constituents of hydrastis are two 

 alkaloids, viz. : (1) hydrastia, a white crystalline body, tasteless at first, 

 but eventually imparting an acrid sensation to the tongue and fauces 

 not bitter, as sometimes erroneously stated ; (2) berberina, which is in yel- 

 low needle-shaped crystals and has an intensely bitter taste. The latter 

 alkaloid is found in numerous plants of the orders Berber idacece, Raniui- 

 culacece, Menispermaceos, etc. Besides these alkaloids, hydrastis contains 

 starch, sugar, etc., and traces of a third alkaloid, which, however, exists in 

 such small proportion as to be of no practical importance. The article long 

 known as hydrastin, and extensively used, chiefly by eclectic practitioners, 

 is an impure hydrochlorate (muriate) of berberina. Both hydrastia and 

 berberina unite with acids to form salts, and it is in the form of salts that 

 they are usually employed. 



Preparations. Extractum hydrastis fluidum fluid extract of hydras- 

 tis ; tinctura hydrastis tincture of hydrastis. United States Pharmaco- 

 pceia. In certain cases where it is desirable to employ large doses, the 

 alkaloids or their salts are more eligible. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Numerous and diverse properties have 

 been attributed to hydrastis, so much so, indeed, that there is little agree- 

 ment among different authors upon the subject. That it is a powerful 

 tonic all admit, and it is probable that to its tonic action alone are due the 

 many widely different effects observed by those who have written upon 



