SANGUINARIA 205 



Powder. Characteristic elements: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 



ADULTERATION. E. M. Holmes calls attention to an adulteration of 

 Helionas rhizome (q.v.), false unicorn, a rather expensive admixture 

 amounting, in one case, to 40 per cent. This root has a different 

 transverse surface, being of a dirty white hue and horny texture, and 

 exhibits a well-defined central column, occupying about one-third of 

 the diameter, and containing irregularly placed vascular bundles. 



CONSTITUENTS. Sanguinarine, C 2 oHi 5 NO 2 , a colorless alkaloid yielding 

 red salts, chelerythrine yielding lemon-yellow salts, homochelidonine 

 and protopine. See Alkaloids, under Chelidonum (183). "A careful 

 analysis of sanguinaria shows that the yield of sanguinarine scarcely 

 reaches i per cent." Schlotterbeck believes that "the name San- 

 guinarine should be applied to the predominating alkaloid, to chelery- 



FIG. 105. Sanguinaria. a. Wood-bundle. 6. Pith. 



thrine which forms yellow salts. Sanguinarine nitrate is becoming 

 recognized more and more by the medical profession as a remedy in 

 respiratory disorders and throat troubles." Ash, not exceeding 3 per 

 cent. 



Preparation of Sanguinarine. Treat infusion of the powdered rhizome with 

 dilute HC1 or acetic acid, add NHUOH, collect precipitate, redissolve in alcohol, 

 decolorize, and evaporate. It is white, soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene; yields 

 bright red salts of an acrid taste. 



ACTION AND USES. An acrid emetic, stimulant, narcotic. Moderate 

 doses produce nausea and circulatory depression, and in large doses 

 it inflames the stomach, causing intense burning, thirst, vomiting, 

 dimness of vision, vertigo, great prostration, and collapse. 



Powdered sanguinaria snuffed up the nostrils is sternutitory, and 

 applied locally it acts as a stimulant to indolent ulcers and as an 

 escharotic to fungous granulations. The physiological action of 



