336 Botanic Drugs 



pharmacology of Viburnum prunifolium. This paper, 

 published in Giornale Internationale delle Scienze 

 Mediche for June 30, 1914, is possibly the best 

 piece of work that has been done on this subject; 

 it is clear, complete, careful, strictly conservative. 

 Chistoni remarks that while viburnum has been an 

 object of much interest to clinicians, pharmacol- 

 ogists, on the other hand, have paid infrequent 

 attention to it. Indeed, no regular experimental 

 study of its effects exists. Medicinally, it is be- 

 lieved, Viburnum prunifolium has specific effects on 

 the uterus, what is called a selective action on the 

 uterine nerves and muscle. The effect is one of 

 calm and arrest of hemorrhage. In his experiments, 

 Chistoni used an extract; the ingredients, according 

 to Wehmer, are valerianic acid, citric and oxalic 

 acids, a bitter substance, viburnina, and an alkaloid 

 of ill-defined composition. On the uterus the ex- 

 tract produces the effects specifically intended. 

 Contractions succeed one another with increasing 

 rapidity and a corresponding decrease in the ampli- 

 tude of the wave. The tone of the muscle is not 

 altered a rather indefinite statement and the 

 action is essentially one of nervous impulses to 

 muscular elements. The substance called viburnina 

 reproduces these effects on the heart, which mani- 

 fests rapid contractions. The breathing, on the 

 other hand, is unaffected. Chistoni sums up his 

 experiments by saying, 'We must look to the nervous 

 system of the uterus for an explanation of the 

 powers of viburnum. It excites within the uterus 

 the nerves which govern the autonomous move- 

 ments.' This explanation of the action of viburnum 

 advanced by Chistoni is the most modern notion; 



