340 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



Cough syrup for dogs. 



Syrupi ipecacuanliae 3iii. 



Syrupi sclUae ad o^v. 



M. 



S. Jeaspoonful every 3 hours. 



Class 2 — Decreasing the Force and Frequency of the Heart. 



AcoNiTUM. Aconite. 



Synonym. — Aconiti radix, B. P.; aconit napel, Fr.; tubera aconiti, P. G.; 

 eisenhut, stormhut, G. The dried tuberous roots of Aconitum Napellus Linn6 

 (Fam. Ranunculaceae). Should yield not less than 0.5 per cent, of ether-soluble 

 alkaloids of aconite. Minimum lethal dose not more than 0.00004 mil of fluid- 

 extract per Gm. of body weight of guinea-pig. 



Habitat. — Northwestern North America, Europe and Asia in mountainous 

 regions, and cultivated in the United States for its showy flowers. 



Description. — More or less conical or fusiform, from 4 to 19 cm. in length, 

 and from 1 to 2 cm. in diameter at the crown; externally dark brown or grayish- 

 brown, smooth or longitudinally wrinkled; odor very slight; taste sweetish, soon 

 becoming acrid and developing a tingling sensation, followed by numbness. 



Constituents. — The alkaloid representing the action of the drug is aconitine 

 (CmHijNOh), which is precipitated by ammonia from an aqueous solution of an 

 alcoholic extract of the root of various species. 



Pseudo-aconitine (CwHioNOji), aconine (CjeHMNOu), and other alkaloids, as 

 benzaconine and picraconitine, with aconitic acid (CoH„Oo), are inert. 



Aconite Dose.—U. & C, gr.iii-xx, (.2-1.3); D., gr. 1/10-ii, (.006-.12). 



Aconitinw Nitras. (Squibb.) Dose. — Subeutaneously. H., gr. 1/80, (.002); 

 D., 1/200-1/100, (.0003-.0006). 



AcoNiTiNA. Aconitine. (U. S. & B. P.) 



It is colorless, or occurs in white, rhombic tables or prisms, odorless and 

 permanent in the air, almost insoluble in water, and soluble in 28 parts of alco- 

 hol, in 65 parts of ether, and 1 part of chloroform. Its salts are soluble in water. 

 Aconitine or its solutions, unless very dilute, are too poisonous to be tasted. 



Commercial preparations vary in purity and strength (as much as a hundred 

 fold), owing to its ready decomposition by hydration, and since it is extremely 

 poisonous (an Indian arrow poison) its internal administration is undesirable. 



Aconitine often contains a considerable proportion of aconine and benzaco- 

 nine, and so varies in activity, which is a great objection to the use of one of 

 the most powerful drugs known. 



PREPARATIONS. 



Tinctura Aconiti. Tincture of Aconite. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Synonym. — Teinture de racine d'aconit, Fr.; eisenhuttinktur, G. Made by 

 maceration and percolation of aconite, 100; with alcohol and water to make 1000. 

 Minimum lethal dose not more than 0.0004 mil per Gm. of body weight of guinea- 

 pig. (U. S. P.) 



Dose.— H., Taxx-."5i, (1.3-4); C, 3ss-iss, (2-6); Sh. & Sw., Tn.x-xx, (.6-1.3); 

 D., TRii-x, (.12-.6). 



Flmdextractmn Aconiti. Fluidextract of Aconite. (U. S. P.) 

 Made by maceration and percolation with alcohol and water, and evaporation. 

 Assayed so that each 100 mils contains 0.45-0.55 Gm. of alkaloids of aconite. 

 (Standardized as above.) 



Dose.—H. & C, Tn,iii-xx, (.2-1.3); D., Rl/lO-ii, (.006-.12). 

 Unguentum Aconitince. (B. P.) (2 per cent.) 

 Linimentmn Aconiti. (B. P.) 

 Fleming's Tincture. (Non-official. ) (79 per cent.) 

 Dose.—U., nivii-xv, (.5-1.; D., Tn.%-ii, (.0]5-.12). 



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