332 SUBTERRANEAN ORGANS 



Uses. The drug is used as a powerful carminative, stimulant, 

 and antispasmodic ; it is given chiefly in hysteria, palpitation of 

 the heart, &c. 



Allied Drugs. Japanese Valerian, Kesso ; the rhizome and roots 

 of Valeriana officinalis, var. latifolia, Miquel ; rhizome small, 

 erect, crowned with scars or with the remains of aerial stems ; 

 brownish ; odour resembling that of valerian but much stronger and 

 somewhat aromatic ; yields up to 8 per cent, of volatile oil containing 

 Z-bornyl isovalerianate and acetate, kessyl acetate, and terpenes. 



Radix Valeriance Majoris is the root of F. Phu, Linne, it has very 

 little odour. 



Mexican Valerian is the rhizome of F. officinalis growing in Mexico ; 

 it yields traces of volatile oil and a little free valerianic acid ; the 

 odour is feeble. 



Nardus root is the rhizome and roots of Nardostachys Jatamansi, 

 de Candolle (N.O. Valerianece), Alpine Himalayas; rhizome short, 

 thick, dark grey, crowned by a bundle of fibres ; odour resembles 

 valerian ; yield of oil about 1 per cent. 



INDIAN VALERIAN 



(Rhizoma Valerianae Indicae) 



Source, &C. Indian valerian is the rhizome and roots of Valeriana 

 Wallichii, de Candolle (N.O. Valerianece) , which is widely distributed 

 in the temperate Himalayas. 



Description. The rhizome is nearly cylindrical, about 5 cm. long 

 and 5 to 10 mm. thick, usually curved or bent, dull brown in colour 

 and marked with raised, encircling leaf -scars and numerous prominent 

 root scars ; roots thick and few. The rhizome is hard and tough, 

 breaking with a short fracture and exhibiting a dark section with a 

 large pith and diffuse ring of small wood-bundles. The odour re- 

 sembles that of valerian. 



Constituents, Indian valerian yields about 1 per cent, of volatile 

 oil of similar nature to that of valerian. 



ELECAMPANE ROOT 



(Radix Inulae) 



Source, &C. -Elecampane, InulaHelenium, Linne (N.O. Compositce), 

 is a tall, herbaceous plant, with perennial rhizome, distributed over 

 temperate Europe and Asia. For medicinal use the plant is cultivated 

 in Holland, Thuringia, and Switzerland. 



The plant produces a short, thick, fleshy rhizome and large, fleshy 



