202 HERBS 



alkaloid, lobeline, which gave easily crystallisable salts with acids, 

 and possessed powerful emetic properties. They also found a neutral 

 crystalline inactive substance, inflatin. Other investigators, notably 

 Siebert (1890) have obtained lobeline in the form of a pale yellowish 

 or colourless (Dreser, 1890) syrupy liquid with strongly alkaline 

 reaction, yielding a crystalline hydrochloride and a crystalline platino- 

 chloride. The formula indicated was C 18 H 23 N0 2 . 



The uncrystallisable lobelacrin of Enders (1871) appears to be 

 lobeline lobelate (Lewis). The drug yields about 10 per cent, of ash. 



Uses. Lobeline has an action closely allied to that of nicotine ; 

 it first excites the nerve-cells and then paralyses them. The drug 

 relaxes the bronchial muscles, and thus dilates the bronchioles ; it is 

 given in spasmodic asthma and in the dyspnoea of chronic bronchitis. 

 Large doses produce vomiting, and may cause collapse through 

 medullary paralysis. 



INDIAN PINK 



(Herba Spigeliae) 



Source, &C. Spigelia marilandica, Linne (N.O. Loganiacece) , is an 

 erect herb, widely distributed over the United States, especially in 

 the south and west. The entire plant is collected in the autumn, tied 

 into bundles, and dried. The rhizome and roots, separated from the 

 aerial parts of the plant, are also found in commerce. 



Description. The stem is smooth and simple, quadrangular in the 

 upper, rounded in the lower part. The leaves are few in number, 

 opposite and sessile ; they are ovate-lanceolate in outline, and about 

 8 cm. long, acuminate at the apex, and tapering towards the base. 

 The midrib, and the lateral veins, of which there are usually four, are 

 prominent ; the latter branch from the midrib near the base at an 

 acute angle, curving round towards the apex. The stem sometimes 

 terminates in a unilateral spike of brilliant red flowers, which are not 

 often found in the drug, though the small two-lobed fruits, are 

 occasionally met with. 



The rhizome is small, dark brown, tortuous, and knotty. It is 

 furnished with numerous, slender, wiry roots, and bears on the upper 

 side short branches marked with the cup-shaped scars of previous 

 stems. The drug is odourless, but has a rather acrid taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The opposite sessile leaves with prominent lateral veins, 



(b) The small tortuous rhizome with cup-shaped scars, 



(c) The smooth cylindrical stem. 



Adulterations. Spigelia root has been frequently adulterated with 

 the rhizome of Ruellia ciliosa (N.O. Acanthacece) which is longer, 



