64 KANTWCULACEJ3. 



COPTIS. 



Coptis trifolia Salisbury. — Goldthread. 



Description. — Calyx: sepals 5 to 7, petal-like, white, deciduous. Corolla : 

 petals 5 to 7, smaller than the sepals, club-shaped, yellow at the base, hollow 

 at the apex^ Stamens 15 to 25, hypogynous. Pistils 3 to 10, on slender 

 stalks. Capsules stellately diverging, stalked, oblong, compressed, acu- 

 minate with the persistent style, 4- to 8-seeded. Seeds oblong, black, 

 smooth, and shining. 



A small perennial, with evergreen leaves arising from a horizontal rhi- 

 zome which sends off in every direction long slender fibres of a bright 

 yellow color, whence the common name of goldthread. Leaves smooth, 

 veiny, somewhat coriaceous, all radical, on long petioles, ternately divided, 

 the leaflets about an inch long, roundish, acute at the base, lobed and 

 crenate, the crenatures acuminate. Scape slender, round, bearing one 

 starry-white flower, about two-thirds of an inch in diameter, and a minute 

 ovate, acute bract some distance below it. Blooms in May. 



Habitat. — Swamps and bogs from Canada and the Northern United 

 States southward along the mountains to Maryland. 



Parts Used. — The whole plant may be employed, but the rhizomes and 

 rootlets are chiefly used. Formerly official, it has been discarded from the 

 United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Constituents. — Goldthread has a strongly bitter taste, unattended with 

 astringency. Its most important constituent is berberina ; another alka- 

 loid, coptina, exists in small proportion. The latter appears to bear some 

 analogy to hydrastia. It contains neither tannic nor gallic acid. 



Preparations. — There are no official preparations of this plant. It 

 yields its virtues to alcohol and to water. The alcoholic tincture is of a 

 beautiful yellow color, and in cases where alcohol is not contra-indicated, 

 may be employed as fully representing the drug. An infusion is also 

 efficient. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Analysis proves goldthread to be a pure 

 and simple bitter. Clinically it acts like calumba, quassia, and other 

 drugs of this class. It was formerly much used as a wash for aphthous 

 sore mouth, exerting in this instance an influence like that of hydrastis. 

 As a tonic during convalescence, and in weakened condition of the di- 

 gestive organs, it may be substituted for calumba, quassia, etc., as oc- 

 casion requires. 



HYDRASTIS. 



Hydrastis Canadensis Linne. — Golden Seal, Yellow- Root, Yellow 

 Puccoon. 



Description. — Calyx : sepals 3, small, petal-like, of a pale rose-color, 

 falling away soon after the flower expands. Corolla absent. Stamens 



