VERATRUM VIRIDI 95 



VERATRUM VIRIDUM 



Synonym. Hellabore. 



Parts Used. The dried roots and rhizomes of Veratrum Yiridi, 

 green hellabore. There is also a Veratrum album, white or Euro- 

 pean hellabore. The U. S. P. of 1905 included both varieties under 

 the name of Veratrum, but the European variety was dropped in the 

 last revision. 



Constituents. Veratrum contains several alkaloids of which 

 the following are the most important: veratrine, jervine, pseudo- 

 jervine, rubijervine and cevadine. Veratrine, U. S. P., is an en- 

 tirely different preparation, being a mixture of alkaloids obtained 

 from a closely- related plant of Mexico, the Cevadilla or Asagrcea 

 officialis. 



Preparations and Doses. 



Veratrum Viridum. H. and C. 3ss — j ; 2. — 4. D. gr. j — ij ; 



0.065—0.13. 

 Tinctura Veratri Yiridi. H. and C. 3v — gjss; 20 — 45. D. 



TTL ij— xv; 0.13 — 1.0. 

 Fluidextractum Veratri. Same as of the powdered drug. 



Action. Veratrum closely resembles aconite in most of its 

 actions. It is a stronger irritant externally and locally, exciting 

 considerable irritation when applied locally, and causing sneezing 

 when brought in contact with the nasal mucous membranes. Inter- 

 nally it resembles the action of aconite with the following exceptions : 



(1) It is more irritant and liable to cause nausea and vomiting. 



(2) It is a stronger depressant to muscles, probably on account of its 

 nauseant action. (3) It is a more powerful depressant to the circu- 

 latory system. Small doses reduce the force of the heart and to a 

 certain extent its rate, while moderate doses distinctly lessen the rate 

 on account of stimulation of the vagus mechanism. (5) The res- 

 pirations are not so depressed as with aconite, and, (6) It is rapidly 

 absorbed and mainly eliminated by the bowels. 



Toxicology. The symptoms resemble those caused by aconite, 

 but there may be more nausea and less anesthesia. The treatment 

 is the same as for aconite poisoning. 



Therapeutics. The general therapeutics of veratrum are very 

 similar to those of aconite. It has no advantage over that drug for 

 action upon the circulatory system. It may be used as an emetic in 

 swine on account of its irritant and nauseant properties. The pow- 

 dered root may be of some value as a parasiticide for lice, fleas, etc., 

 although it must be used cautiously. 



