GRINDELIA 199 



Part of the drug is said to be derived from G. cuneifolia and its variety 

 paludosa ; the leaves of this plant are cuneate and less coriaceous 

 than those of G. camporum. 



G. robusta, Nuttall, and G. squarrosa (Pursh), Dunal are closely 

 allied species and were formerly regarded as yielding the commercial 

 drug. 



Before the flowerheads expand they secrete a white, sticky resin ; 

 in May and June the whole plant is resinous, and then the leaves and 

 flowering tops are collected and dried. 



Description. The commercial drug consists of the slender upper 

 part of the flowering stem, together with the flowerheads and a few 

 leaves. 



The stems, often 50 cm. in length, are rounded, yellow in colour, 

 and smooth. They bear alternate, pale green leaves which, however, 

 are easily broken off, and therefore frequently lie loose in the package. 



The leaves are oblong or spathulate, 3 to 5 cm. long, with a serrate 

 margin ; they are rigid, brittle, smooth, sessile, and sometimes 

 amplexicaul, and have a glabrous, minutely dotted surface. 



The flowerheads are sub-conical, yellowish, hard and resinous, and 

 are surrounded by several rows of lanceolate-acuminate, imbricated, 

 recurved bracts. They contain numerous compressed fruits, each of 

 which is crowned by a pappus consisting of two stiff, thick bristles, 

 and when mature is bi-auriculate or more rarely uni-dentate at the 

 summit. 



The drug has a slight odour and a somewhat balsamic taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The stalky appearance of the drug, 



(b) The resinous character, especially of the flowerheads, 



(c) The pale green, rigid, brittle leaves. 



Constituents. 'The chief constituents of grindelia are amorphous 

 resins (up to 21 per cent.). These include a soft, greenish resin soluble 

 in petroleum spirit and two dark coloured resins, one of which is soluble 

 in ether. To these resins the activity of the drug appears to be due 

 (Power and Tutin, 1905). The drug also contains a considerable 

 quantity of Isevoglucose, tannin (1-5 per cent.), and a trace of volatile 

 oil. It leaves about 8 per cent, of ash. 



Two glucosides resembling the glucosides of quillaja bark and senega 

 root, an alkaloid and a crystallisable acid, robustic acid, are also said 

 to be contained in the drug, but later researches have not confirmed 

 these statements. 



J. The action of grindelia resembles that of atropine. The 

 drug r has the reputation of being almost a specific for certain forms' of 

 asthma, and has been recommended in cystitis and catarrh of the 

 bladder. It is not much used in this country. 



