PHYSOSTIGMINE — ESERINE 203 



coniine in having but little action upon the central nervous system. 

 Large doses paralyze the sympathetic nerves and the end plates of 

 motor nerves. It causes death by paralyzing the ner\'e endings of the 

 phrenics. Sparteine is more fully discussed under diuretics. See 

 p. 295. 



B. PERIPHERAL NERVE STIMULANTS 



This group is made up of a iew drugs vsrhich act almost exactly 

 opposite to atropine. The chief members are 



Physostigma Pilocarpus Arecoline 



PHYSOSTIGMA 



Synonyms. Calabar Bean, Ordeal Bean 



Parts Used. The ripe seed of Physostigma venenosum, yielding 

 when assayed, not less than 0.15 per cent, of the alkaloids of physos- 

 tigma. The plant is indigenous to western Africa, and the beans 

 were used by the medicine men for " trial by ordeal," hence the name 

 " Ordeal Bean." The person accused of crime was given a paste 

 made of the seeds ; if he survived, he was considered innocent ; if he 

 died he was guilty. Tradition says that the priests " could be fixed " 

 for a consideration, so that they would mistake harmless seeds for 

 the true ones in making the paste. 



Constituents. Physostigma contains the following alkaloids: 

 physostigmine or eserine, which is the principal one; calabarine, to 

 which it owes its tetanizing power; and eseridine, a laxative and 

 motor excitant. 



Preparations and Doses. 



Extractum Physostigmatis. H. gr. iij — ^viij ; 0.2 — 0.5. D. 



gr. yio— %; 0.006—0.03. 

 Tinctura Physostigmatis, 15 per cent. H. oij — vj ; 8. — 25. 



D. TTLij— xx; 0.13—1.3. 



Physostigmine salicylate and physostigmine sulphate are the salts 

 used. The former is soluble in 72 parts of water and 13, of alcohol; 

 the latter is deliquescent and freely soluble in water and alcohol. 

 Physostigmine or its salts decompose by light, heat and air, so that 

 they are not suitable for hypodermic tablets, but should be purchased 

 in hermetically sealed tubes. Solutions of this alkaloid turn a red- 

 dish purple color which indicates deterioration. The salicylate is 

 more stable than the sulphate. 



Physostigminae Sulphas or Salicylas. H. gr. ss — iij ; 0.03 — 

 0.2. D. gr. Koo—yso ; 0.006— .002. 



