Introduction 19 



tional plants among the Compositae, although we 

 would not expect, from its botanical relationship, 

 that it may be either markedly toxic or quick act- 

 ing, since none of the poisonous Compositae are 

 rapid in toxic effect. 



The natural order Solanaceae, or night-shades, 

 we know are narcotics; hence we would expect to 

 find any one of this order an active drug. 



The deduction from all this is: While the plants 

 of the natural order Labiatae might be useful, we 

 would not expect to find active drugs among them; 

 among the Compositae we would expect to find a 

 few agents of toxic or energetic character, while 

 among the Solanaceae we would expect energetic 

 narcotics. Throughout the whole botanical classi- 

 fication we find this rule to be of value in forming 

 some estimate of the probable activity of a botanic 

 drug. 



But academic considerations do not always 

 rule in this practical world. Drugs are not selected 

 purely on the basis of their toxicity, since many 

 non-toxic ones are exceedingly useful. There is 

 easily selected a list of botanic drugs of world- 

 wide recognition. The following are recognized 

 in from sixteen to nineteen pharmacopeias. I have 

 arranged them according to botanical order. Note 

 how our academic rule is at sixes and sevens with 

 the practical matter of fact. 



THE MOST POPULAR BOTANIC DRUGS 5 



Aurantiaceae: Bitter orange peel, lemon oil. 

 Apocynaceae: Strophanthus. 

 Burseraceae: Myrrh. 



8 List compiled by Gathercoal, Jour. Am. Phar. Ass'n., March, 1916. 



