178 MATER IA MEDIC A AND THERAPEUTICS. 



Podoptiylli Radix PODOPHYLLUM ROOT. 

 The dried rhizome of PodophyHum peltatum. Im- 

 ported from North America. 



Characters. In pieces of variable length, about two lines 

 thick, mostly wrinkled longitudinally, dark reddish-brown 

 externally, whitish within, breaking with a short fracture ; 

 accompanied with pale brown rootlets. Powder yellowish-grey, 

 sweetish in odour, bitterish, subacrid and nauseous in taste. 



Composition. The active principle of the rhizome is the 

 resin, which is really a compound of several resinous bodies. 



Preparation. 

 1. Podophvlli Resina. Resin of Podophyllin. 



Source. Made by extracting with spirit, and precipitating 

 in acidulated water. 



Characters. A pale greenish-brown, amorphous powder, 

 sol'ible in rectified spirit and in ammonia. 



Dose. i to 1 gr. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Externally, podophyllin possesses no local action ; but if 

 applied to a wound, it enters the blood and exerts its specific 

 effect as a purgative. 



Internally, podophyllin causes a bitter acrid taste, salivation, 

 irritation of the stomach, nausea, colic, and after ten or twelve 

 hours a free watery motion. This purgative effect appears to 

 be due to stimulation both of the muscular coat and of the 

 glands of the intestine, as well as to increase of the biliary flow. 

 Podophyllin is used entirely as a purgative. One-grain 

 doses are given to produce free evacuation of the bowels in 

 severe constipation or portal congestion. A dose of to 

 grain may be employed as an ingredient of habitual laxative 

 pills. It is a useful cholagogue when mercurials are contra- 

 , indicated. Podophyllin must not be given alone, on account 

 ' of its griping tendency, but combined with a carminative such 

 i as hyoscyamus, belladonna, or cannabis indica. The compara- 

 tive slowness of its action must also be remembered. 



MAGNOLIACE^B. 

 Hlicium Anisatum STAR ANISE. The oil 



distilled in China from the fruit forms part of the 

 Oil of Aniseed of the Pharmacopoeia. See Oleum 

 Anisi. N.O. Umbelliferse. 



