236 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



26. (Fig. 45.) BELLADONNA FOLIA. 



Belladonna Leaves. U. S. 



Tinct. 60. 



Belladonna, Tollkraut, Tollkirsche, G. Belladona, Morelle furieuse, F. 



Leaves and stems, inclusive of some immature fruits and flowers, 

 of Atropa belladonna L., Solanaceae. 



No. 80. Non-characteristic feel. 



Rather dull green to brownish green. 



Somewhat fragrant; narcotic when moistened. 



Somewhat bitter and slightly pungent. 



Stomata on both surfaces of leaves; vertical walls of epidermal 

 cells thin, wavy; comparatively few and rather large simple, 2- to 5- 

 celled, thin-walled trichomes which are generally much broken in the 

 powder. The trichomes are not pitted or warty as in Stramonium 

 and a few are more or less distinctly branched. Calcium oxalate 

 crystals (micro-crystalline) filling many of the leaf parenchyma cells; 

 and single aggregate crystals. Glandular trichomes with one to many 

 celled heads, few and indistinct. The non-glandular trichomes though 

 sparingly present and the crystal bearing cells, are the most charac- 

 teristic structures. 



Ash from 15 to 18 per cent. Impurities (sand, dirt, foreign vege- 

 table tissue) should not exceed 10 per cent. 



Quite frequently adulterated. Suspect phytolacca leaves and 

 stems (acicular crystals) ; scopola leaves and stems (histology closely 

 similar to that of belladonna leaves and stems) ; chestnut leaves (single- 

 celled, curved, rigid trichomes of the stellate clusters) ; mallow leaves 

 (stellate trichomes), and other foreign leaves and herbs. In the 

 American grown belladonna the stems are included. 



