34 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
As regards physiological action, these two alkaloids show 
a qualitative agreement with aconitine, japaconitine, and 
pseudoaconitine. 
Bikhaconitine has a more powerful toxic action on cats and 
rabbits than indaconitine ; of the alkaloids so far examined, 
aconitine and indaconitine are about equally poisonous, 
japaconitine is rather more active than these, but not quite so 
toxic as bikhaconitine, whilst pseudoaconitine is the most active 
of the series. Bikhaconitine and indaconitine are equally toxic 
towards frogs. The greater toxic action of bikhaconitine 
towards warm-blooded animals is due to its more powerful 
depressing effect on the respiration ; the respiratory activity 
of frogs is also diminished to a greater extent by the former 
alkaloid. The relative activity of the two alkaloids in abolish- 
ing the power possessed by nerve-muscle preparations of res- 
ponding to stimuli, was investigated by immersing the tissues 
in dilute solutions of the hydrobromides, and it was found 
that in this respect indaconitine is slightly more active than, 
bikhaconitine. 
The pseud oaconines obtained from the two alkaloids appear 
to be identical in physiological action, and behave in all respects 
like the aconine and aconitine. 
(J. Theodore Cash and Wydnham R. Dunstan, Proceedings 
Roy. Soc , 1905). J. Ch. S., Vol X C, pt II., p. 41. 
26 . Actcea spicata. Linn, h.f.br.i., I. 29 . 
Habitat : — Temperate Himalaya 6,000 — 10,000 ft. Simla, in 
Narkunda forest; from Bhutan to Hazara. Shady ravines of 
Jaunsar and Tehri-Garhwal. 
• Part used : — The root. 
A perennial, more or less pubescent herb, Stems 2-3 ft., 
erect, usually branched. Leaves 6-12 in., alternate pinnately 
compound, the pinnules often with 3 leaflets; leaflets ovate- 
lanceolate, pointed; often lobed, deeply and sharply toothed. 
Flowers regular, scarcely ^ in. diam., white, crowded in short 
terminal racemes lengthening in fruit.- Sepals 4, petal-like, 
