246 ARISTOLOCHIA SERPENTARIA 



Official Part and Names. SERPENTARIA RADIX; the dried 

 rhizome (B. P.). The dried root (I. P.). SERPENTARIA; the root 

 of Aristolochia Serpentaria, of Aristolochia reticulata, and of other 

 species of Aristolochia (U. S. P.). 



Collection and Commerce. Serpentary rhizome, Serpentary root, 

 or as it is also termed Virginian Snakeroot, is principally col- 

 lected in Western Pennsylvania and Virginia, but also in Ohio, 

 Indiana, and Kentucky. It is commonly imported into this 

 country in bales, casks, or bags, from New York and Boston. 



General Characters and Composition. The so-called Snake-root 

 or Serpentary root of commerce consists in reality of the rhizome 

 and of a tuft of numerous small roots arising from its lower sur- 

 face. The rhizome presents a twisted and knotty appearance ; it 

 is usually about an inch in length, by about one eighth of an inch 

 in thickness, and is marked on its upper surface by the short 

 projecting bases of the aerial stems which it once bore. In some 

 cases we also find attached to the rhizome longer portions of the 

 herbaceous stem, together with leaves, flowers, and fruit. From 

 the under surface of the rhizome numerous slender branched 

 rootlets arise, varying from 2 to 4 inches long, and forming 

 together a compact interlacing tuft. Serpentary has a yellowish 

 or brownish colour ; a bitterish, aromatic, somewhat valerianaceous 

 and camphoraceous taste ; and a strong, aromatic, not unpleasant 

 odour, resembling a mixture of valerian and camphor. 



The principal constituents of serpentary root are, a volatile oil 

 in the proportion of about \ per cent, and a bitter principle. The 

 volatile oil has the odour of the root, and the bitter principle 

 (aristolochin) , which was first made known by Chevallier, is 

 described as an amorphous substance of a yellow colour, a bitter 

 and slightly acrid taste, and as soluble in both water and 

 alcohol. It requires further investigation. The medicinal pro- 

 perties of serpentaria are doubtless essentially, if not entirely, due, 

 to these two substances. But serpentary root also contains tannic 

 acid, resin, mucilage, sugar, and some other unimportant 

 ingredients. 



Substitutions and Adulterations. In the United States the 



