ACTION AND USES OF COLOCYNTH AND ELATERIN 561 



deposited bj the juice of the fruit of Ecballium Elaterium 

 (Liniie) A. Richard (nat. ord. Cucurbitacese). 



Habitat. — Elaterium grows in North Africa, "West Asia 

 and Southern Europe. It is also cultivated. 



Derivation. — Elaterium is exhausted with chloroform. 

 Ether is added and elaterin is precipitated and is purified by 

 redissolving in chloroform and crystallizing. 



Properties. — Minute, white, hexagonal scales, or prisma- 

 tic crystals, without odor, and having a slight, acrid, bitter 

 taste. Soluble in 4250 parts of water, and in 337 parts of 

 alcohol ; also soluble in 543 parts of ether, or in 2.4 parts of 

 chloroform. Permanent in the air. 



Dose.—D., gr.^-yV (.003-.005). 



ACTIONS AND USES OF COLOCYNTH AND ELATERIN. 



The action of colocynth and elaterin is similar in man, 

 but the latter is more powerful. Both greatly increase 

 secretions and, slightly, the flow of bile ; while they stimu- 

 late peristalsis in some degree. Large doses cause painful 

 griping, gastro-intestinal inflammation, excessive watery 

 purging, and collapse. Elaterin frequently fails to purge 

 horses and dogs, although death may follow large doses. 

 Colocynth acts more certainly in the lower animals and is 

 recommended by P. Cagny in dropsy and cerebral disease. 

 Neither drug, however, is of any importance in veterinary 

 medicine. Colocynth is contained in the compound cathartic 

 pill given to dogs in doses of from one to three pills. 



Class 3.— Cholagogue Purgatives. 



Podophyllum. Podophyllum. 



Synonym. — Podophylli rhizoma, B.P.; May apple, main- 

 drake root, E., podophylle, Fr.; fussblatwurzel, G. 



The rhizome and roots of Podophyllum pellatum Linne 

 (nat. ord. Berberideae). 



Habitat. — North America. 



