294 SUBTERRANEAN ORGANS 



The odour of the drug is slight, the taste somewhat bitter and acrid. 

 The dry powder, when inhaled, produces violent sneezing. 

 The student should observe 



(a) The dark colour and tortuous appearance. 

 (6) The short erect branches, 



(c) The structure of the rhizome as exhibited by the transverse 

 section. 



Constituents. Black hellebore rhizome contains two crystalline 

 glucosides, helleborin and helleborein, both of which are powerful 

 poisons. Helleborin has a burning acrid taste and is narcotic. 

 Helleborein has a sweetish taste and is a highly active cardiac poison ; 

 it is a chroruogenic saponin ; dilute acids hydrolyse it to acetic acid, 

 glucose, an acid and a neutral helleboretin, a deep violet colour being 

 developed. 



The drug is free from tannin, and the infusion does not strike a 



FIG. 146. Green Hellebore rhizome. Transverse 

 section of rhizome (A) and root (B) : a, cortex ; 

 b, wood ; c, pith. Magnified 3 diam. (Berg.) 



dark colour with ferric chloride, in which particular it differs from 

 Cimicifuga racemosa. 



Uses. Black hellebore rhizome has been employed as a drastic 

 purgative and emmenagogue, but is now seldom administered. In 

 large doses.it is poisonous, producing violent inflammation. 



Substitutes. The rhizome of H. viridis, Linne, green hellebore 

 which should be carefully distinguished from Veratrum viride, often 

 called also green hellebore closely resembles that of H. niger ; it is, 

 however, far more bitter and acrid, and the transverse section exhibits 

 wood-bundles that are broader and shorter than those of H. niger. 



In the rhizome and root of H. foetidus, Linne, the wood is more 

 strongly developed and radiate in appearance, there being little or 

 no visible pith. 



ACONITE ROOT 



(Radix Aconiti) 



Source, &C. The aconite, monkshood, or wolfsbane, Acomtum 

 Napellus, Linne (N.O. Ranunculacece) , is a perennial herb growing 



