562 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



Description. — Of horizontal growth, consisting of joints 

 about 5 Mm. thick, but somewhat enlarged at the end, 

 which has a circular scar on the upper side, a tuft of about 

 10, nearly simple, fragile roots on the lower side, and is 

 sometimes branched laterally; smooth or somewhat wrinkled, 

 orange-brown, internally white and mealy, with a circle of 

 small wood bundles; pith large; nearly inodorous; taste 

 sweetish, somewhat bitter and acrid. 



Constituents. — 1, a resin, podophyllin (4-5 per cent.); 2, 

 a coloring matter, podophyllinic acid. 



PREPARATION. 



Resina Podophylli. Resin of Podophyllum. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Podophyllin. 



Derivation. — Made by maceration and percolation of podophyllum 

 with alcohol; partial evaporation, and precipitation of the resin with 

 diluted hydrochloric acid; washing with water, drying. 



Properties.— \n amorphous powder, varying in color from grayish - 

 white to pale greenish-yellow or yellowish-green ; having a slight, 

 peculiar odor, and a peculiar, faintly bitter taste. Permanent in the 

 air. Soluble in alcohol and in solutions of potassium and sodium 

 hydrate. 



Constituents.— Chie^Y podophyllotoxin (C23Ha40» 4- 2 HaO), stated 

 to be a mixture of a purgative principle, picropodophyllin, and an 

 inert body, podophyllinic acid, associated with a coloring matter, podo- 

 phylloquercitin, and other resins. 



Dose.—B,. & C, 3 i.-ii- (4.-8.); D., gr.i.-ii. (.06-. 12). 



Action. — Podophyllin is essentially a cholagogue cathar- 

 tic of slow and uncertain action. Large doses cause 

 purging and vomiting in animals, and lethal quantities occa- 

 sion gastro-enteritis, colic, super-purgation, with bloody 

 fgecal evacuations, convulsions and death. It acts in the 

 same way whether it is applied externally, injected into the 

 blood, or given internally. Podophyllin must therefore 

 exert its effect after absorption, and about 10 hours are 

 required to produce purgation. The action is exerted 

 mainly on the duodenum, which is intensely inflamed and 

 even ulcerated in poisoning. Podophyllin directly increases 

 the secretion of bile in small doses, while purgative quanti- 



