COLCHICUM 389 



COLCHICUM CORM 



(Colchicum Root, Radix Colchici) 



Source, &C. Colchicum corm is the contracted subterranean stem 

 of the meadow saffron, Colchicum autumnale, Linne (N.O. Liliacece), 

 a plant widely distributed over Europe and abundant in some parts 

 of England in moist meadows and pastures. 



The meadow saffron produces in the autumn a conspicuous reddish 

 purple flower springing from the side of a contracted and enlarged 

 stem (corm) situated several inches below the surface of the ground 

 (fig. 100, p. 187). This corm has supplied the flower with the necessary 

 materials for its growth, and has thereby been deprived of part of the 

 reserve material which the leaves that die down in the summer have 

 stored up in it. The proper time for collecting the corm is therefore 

 after the early summer leaves have filled it with reserve material and 

 died down, but before the production of the flower in the autumn has 

 partially exhausted it. 



Description. The fresh corms are about 4 cm. long and 3 cm. broad, 

 bluntly conical in shape, flattened on one side, and enveloped in an 

 outer brown and inner reddish yellow membranous coat derived from 

 the leaves of the previous summer. Internally the corm is firm, 

 white, and fleshy ; it has a disagreeable odour, and exudes, when 

 cut, a bitter juice that is white and milky from the presence in it of 

 numerous starch grains. 



The corms are also cut into thin transverse slices, which are dried 

 at a gentle heat and freed from the remains of the membranes by 

 winnowing. They then form whitish slices about 3 cm. wide, yellowish 

 on their outer surface and reniform in outline, the depression corre- 

 sponding to the position of the flower. They break readily with a short 

 starchy fracture. The transverse surface exhibits, when smoothed, 

 numerous scattered darker points (fibro- vascular bundles). The 

 drug is inodorous, but has a bitter taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The reniform outline of the sliced drug, 



(b) The starchy fracture, 



(c) The bitter taste. 



Constituents. Colchicum corm contains from 0-5 to 0-6 per cent, 

 of the poisonous alkaloid colchicine (compare p. 188). The drug also 

 contains abundance of starch. 



Uses. Colchicum is chiefly used to relieve the pain and inflam- 

 mation and shorten the duration of acute gout and certain gouty 

 affections, but is liable to cause intestinal pain accompanied by 

 vomiting and purging. 



