HYOSCYAMUS 385 



around the very large, light-colored midribs, and generally have the 

 large petiole still attached; they are grayish-green, and of a coria- 

 ceous texture j leaves, in the market, are very much broken; odor 

 heavy, narcotic; taste bitter and nauseous. 

 Powder. Microscopical elements of: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 

 CONSTITUENTS. By distillation the leaves yield a very poisonous volatile 

 oil, but the active principles are hyoscyamine, CnH^sNOs (crystal- 

 line), and hyoscine, Ci 7 H 2 iNO4 (amorphous). They also contain 

 about 2 per cent, of potassium nitrate, which causes them to crackle 

 when thrown in the fire. Ash, not exceeding 30 per cent. 



Preparation of Hyoscyamine from Seed. First extract fatty matter; acidu- 

 late with HC1; evaporate; wash acid solution with benzene. Neutralize solu- 

 tion with NH4OH, shake out with chloroform, and evaporate latter solvent. 



ACTION AND USES. 'Anodyne, hypnotic, narcotic. The action of hyoscy- 

 amus is that of its alkaloid, hyoscyamine, which acts like atropine 

 but is less irritant and more calmative and hypnotic. Hyoscine is a 

 decided anodyne and hypnotic. The extract in the form of a sup- 

 pository is frequently employed to relieve the pain of hemorrhoids, 

 and a poultice made from the leaves may be employed to allay the 

 pain of cancerous and other ulcers. Dose of leaves: 5 to 15 gr. 

 (0.3 to i Gm.); Hyoscyamine salts, Hoo g r - (0.0006 Gm.); 

 Hyoscine hydrobromate (Scopolamine hydrobromate), ^{QQ gr. 

 (0.0006 Gm.). 



RELATED SPECIES. Hyoscyamus pallidus (flowers pale yellow), H. agres- 

 tis (flowers few, leaves smaller), and H. albus (flowers white). The 

 latter is used indiscriminately in France with the niger, with which 

 it appears to be identical in medicinal properties. 



VARIETIES. There are two varieties of henbane, the annual and biennial. 

 The former when properly grown are not devoid of active properties. 

 The official plant is susceptible of considerable diversity of character, 

 causing varieties which have been considered by some as distinct 

 species, and by cultivation differing somewhat in medical properties. 



OFFICIAL PREPARATIONS. 



Tinctura Hyoscyami (10 per cent.), .Dose: 10 to 60 njj (0.6 to 4 mils). 



Fluidextractum Hyoscyami, i to 3 gr. (0.065 to 0.2 Gm.). 



Extractum Hyoscyami, 5 to 15 nn (0.3 to I mil): 



510. HYOSCYAMI SEMEN (unofficial). Used for the same purposes as the 

 leaves and contain the same alkaloids, but in larger proportion, together 

 with a large quantity of fixed oil and a bitter glucoside, hyoscyopicrin. _ They 

 are small, reniform, and have a peculiar gray-brown surface, much wrinkled 

 and finely pitted; near the raised portion of the testa they are rather sharp 

 (distinction from stramonium seed). The embryo is curved so as to form 

 a figure 9, the lower part of which is the radicle, and is surrounded by a 

 whitish, oily albumen. Odorless in entire state, but when rubbed, of a 

 distinctly narcotic odor; taste oily and bitter. 



511. TABACUM. TOBACCO. The leaves of Nicotia'na taba'cum Linn6. Off. 

 U.S.P. 1890. Large, oval, or oval-lanceolate leaves, often 500 mm. (20 in.) 

 long when entire, but they are more generally somewhat broken; brown; 



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