POISONOUS PLANTS 179 



Active Principle. — The Ranunculi all contain acrid juices 

 whose chemical nature is not well understood. A volatile 

 acid— ficaric acid — has been isolated, and also a substance, 

 ficarin, probably a glucoside resembling saponin. Dragen- 



FiG. 20. — Banuncclus Aceis (Upright Meadow Crowfoot). ' 



dorff further cites the existence of a substance named by 

 him * ranunculol.' B. sceleratus and R. Ficaria are also stated 

 to contain anemonin (the active principle of anemone). 



Symptoms. — The first symptoms induced by ranunculus 

 are those of gastro-enteritis, colic, nausea, vomiting if 



