560 VEGETABLE DEUGS 



Action and Uses. — Taraxacum is a simple stomachic and 

 bitter and may be employed in place of gentian or calumba. 

 It has been generally taught that taraxacum is an hepatic 

 stimulant and increases the secretion of bile. This has been 

 proved fallacious. The extract is often used as an excipient 

 in preparing masses. 



Hydrastis. Hydrastis. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Hydrastis rhizoma.B.P.; golden zeal, yellow 

 root, yellow puccoon, orange root, Indian dye, Indian 

 tumeric, E.; racine d'hydrastis de Canada, Fr.; Canadische 

 gelbwurzel, G. 



The rhizome and roots of Hydrastis canadensis Linne 

 (nat. ord. Eanunculacese). 



Habitat. — North America in woods, west to Missouri and 

 Arkansas. 



Descripion. — Khizome about 4 Cm. long and 6 Mm. 

 thick ; oblique, with short branches, somewhat annulate 

 and longitudinally wrinkled ; externally brownish-gray ; 

 fracture short, waxy, bright reddish-yellow, with a thickish 

 bark, about ten narrow wood-wedges, broad, medullary rays 

 and large pith. Boots thin, brittle, with a thick yellow bark 

 and subquadrangular, woody centre. Odor slight ; taste, 

 bitter. 



Constitmnts. — 1, berberine (CjoH^NO^), an alkaloid 

 occurring in yellow crystals and found in many plants of 

 the families BerberacesB, RanunculacesB, andMenispermacese ; 

 2, hydrastine (CjiHgiNOJ, a colorless, crystalline alkaloid, 

 soluble in alcohol and ether ; 3, canadine (CjiH^iNOJ, occur- 

 ring in white, acicular crystals. 



Bose.—E.. & C, 3 ii.- 5 i- (8.-30.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i,-ii. (4.-8.); 

 D.,gr.v.-3i. (.3-4.). 



PREPARATIONS. 



Fluidextr actum Hydrastis. Fluidextract of Hydrastis. (U. S. P.) 

 Made by maceration and percolation with alcohol, glycerin and 



water, and evaporation, so that 1 oc. = 1 gm. of hydrastis. 



Dose.— H. & C, 3 ii.- 1 i. (8.-30.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i.-ii.(4.-8.; D., mv.- 



3i. (.3-4.). 



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