626 VEGETABLE DEUGS 



of blood pressure. 3. Ergotinic acid. This counteracts the 

 action of the other principles of ergot by depressing the 

 heart, vasomotor centre and spinal cord — but only when 

 injected into a vein and subcutaneously, not vfhen ingested. 

 By giving ergot by the mouth the opposing action of ergo- 

 tinic acid is avoided. These then are the chief active princi- 

 ples of ergot (so far as known) and the action of ergot is 

 the resultant of their actions. The chemistry of ergot is not 

 only extremely complex but its principles are unstable and 

 easily transformed into others. No one principle represents 

 ergot and the action of. the pharmaceutical preparations may 

 differ much in poisonous doses. 



Dose.—B.. & C, 5ss.-i. (15.-30.); Sh. & S., 3i.-ii. 

 :(4.-8.); D., 3ss.-i. (2.-4.) 



PREPARATIONS. 



Pluidextractum Ergotw. Fluidextract of Ergot. (U. S. P.) 

 Made by maceration and percolation with diluted alcohol and 

 acetic acid, and evaporation, so that 1 cc. ^ 1 gm. of ergot. 



Dose.—K. & C, gss.-i. (15.-30.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i.-ii. (4.-8.); D., 

 3ss.-i. (2.-4.). 



Extractum Ergotw. Extract of Ergot. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Synonym. — Ergotin. 



Made by evaporation of the fluid extract to a pilular consistence. 

 Dose.—B.. & C, gr.xx.-3i. (1.3-4.); D., gr.ii.-x. (.12-.6). (By 

 mouth or subcutaneously.) 



Extractum Ergotce Liquidum. (B. P.) 

 (§ i ergot ^ S i. of preparation.) 

 Dose.— H. & C, 3iv. (15.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i. (4.); D., Tll.xv.-xxx. 

 (I.-.2.) 



Tinotura Ergotce Ammoniata. (B. P.) 

 (109 gr. to Si.)- 

 Dose.— H. & C, gss.-ii. (15.-60.); Sh. & Sw., 3 i.-iv. (4.-15.); D., 

 3ss.-ii. (2.-8.). 



Injectio Ergctini Rypodermica. (B. P. ) (33 per cent.) 

 Dose.— H., 3|-li (3.-6.); D., 1Tl,iii.-x. (.2-.6). 



Ergot deteriorates rapidly with age. Both it and its 

 preparations should be fresh and the drug should be dis- 

 carded when over a year old. 



Action Internal. — Digestive Organs. — Ergot stimu- 

 lates directly the involuntary muscle of the stomach and in- 

 testines (vomiting and purging), but this action is not ap- 

 parent in medicinal doses. The blood vessels in the walls of 

 the digestive tract are contracted directly by the drug, and also 

 because of the constriction of the muscular walls themselves. 



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