574 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



H^MATOXYLON. Ilaematoxylon. 



Synonym, — Haematoxyli lignum, B.P ; logwood, E. ; 

 lignum campecliianum, P.G.; lignum coeriileum — bois de 

 campeche, bois d'inde, bois de sang, Fr. ; blauliolz, campe- 

 cheholz, G. 



The heart wood of Haematoxylon Campechianum Linne 

 (nat. ord. Leguminosae). 



Habitat. — Central America ; naturalized in the "West 

 Indies. 



Description. — Heavy, hard, externally purplish-black, 

 internally brownish-red, and marked with irregular, concen- 

 tric circles, splitting irregularly; odor faint, agreeable ; taste 

 sweetish, astringent ; when chewed it colors the saliva dark 

 pink. Logwood is generally met with in the form of small 

 chips or coarse powder of a dark brownish-red color ; often 

 with a greenish lustre. 



Ccmstitiients. — The most important is (1) tannic acid. 

 There are also : 2, haematoxylin, C^^^fl^ (12 per cent.), a 

 coloring matter, but in nearly colorless crystals when pure. 

 It turns red on exposure to light, and solutions are used to 

 stain pathological bpecimens ; 3, haematein, C^^^fi^, formed 

 from haematoxylin by oxidation, and possessing a green, 

 metallic lustre. 



Incompatibles. — Lime water, and tartar emetic, with 

 metallic salts, forms a blue compound. 



PREPARATION. 



Extractuvi Hoematoxyli. Extract of Heematoxylon. (U. S. &B. P.) 



Made by boiling in water, straining, and evaporating to dryness. 

 Dose.— H. & C, 3ss.-iv. (3.-15.); Sh. & Sw., 3 ss.-i. (2.-4.); D., 

 gr.v.-xv. (.3-1.). 



A non-official fluid extract is often found in commerce. 

 Dose. — Three times that of extract. 



Action and Uses. — Haematoxylon is a mild astringent, 

 coloring the faeces and urine red during its elimination. The 

 extract is given in diarrhoea of young animals, and may be 

 combined for this purpose with aromatic sulphuric acid. 



