CRUDE DRUGS. 501 



Allied Plants. — The alkaloid berberine, or a principle closely 

 resembling it is found in the following plants of the Ranun- 

 culaceae: False rhubarb {Thalictrum flavuiii) of Europe; and the 

 following plants growing in the United States: Gold-thread 

 {Coptis trifolia), yellow root {Xanthorrhisa apiifolia), and marsh 

 marigold (Caltha paliistris). A principle resembling berberine is 

 found in the following plants belonging to the Rutacese : Several 

 species of Zieria found in Southern Australia and Tasmania, and 

 Toddalia aculeata found in the mountains of Eastern Africa, trop- 

 ical Asia and the Philippine Islands (see also p. 483). 



LEPTANDRA.— CULVER'S ROOT.— The dried rhizome 

 and roots of Leptandra virginica (Fam. Scrophulariacese) , a per- 

 ennial herb growing in meadows and moist woods of the Eastern 

 and Central United States and Canada (p. 376). The rhizome 

 and roots are collected in autumn from plants of the second year's 

 growth. When fresh the drug has an almond-like odor and a 

 bitter, nauseous taste, which it loses in a measure on drying, and 

 may be kept indefinitely. 



Description. — Rhizome horizontal, nearly cylindrical, some- 

 what branched, 4 to 10 em. long, 3 to 8 mm. in diameter ; exter- 

 nally light brown to brownish-red ; annulate from circular scars 

 of bud-scales, upper surface with conical buds, short stem-rem- 

 nants or stem-scars, the under and side portions with numerous 

 roots or root-scars; fracture tough; internally, bark dark brown, 

 0.3 to I mm. thick, wood about 0.5 to 1.5 mm. thick, pith light 

 brown or brownish-black ; odor slight ; taste bitter, slightly acrid. 



Roots from i to 4 cm. long, 0.5 to i mm. in diameter, exter- 

 nally smooth; longitudinally wrinkled, fracture short; internally, 

 bark brownish-black, wood light brown. 



Constituents. — Leptandrin, a glucoside, occurring in yellow- 

 ish-green crystals ; resin, about 6 per cent. ; saponin ; tannin ; and 

 starch. The drug yields a distillate containing formic acid. 



SERPENTARIA. — The rhizome and roots of several species 

 of Aristolochia (Fam. Aristolochiacese), perennial herbs indig- 

 enous to the Southern United States. There are two commercial 

 varieties : ( i ) Virginia Snakeroot, yielded by Aristolochia Ser- 

 pentaria, found growing east of the Mississippi, and (2) Texas 

 or Red River Snakeroot, yielded by Aristolochia reticulata, grow- 



