138 
PH A RMA CO QNOS Y. 
porous, arrangement of wood irregular, due to anoma- 
lous secondary cambiums, bark dark brown, about 
0‘5 mm. thick ; odor musk-like; taste bitter, pungent. 
Constituents. — Volatile oil having the taste of pep- 
permint, from 0'3 to 1 per cent. ; two balsamic resins, 
one soluble in alcohol and having the odor and taste 
of the root, the other soluble in ether ; fixed oil 17 per 
cent.; ash about 8 per cent. ; starch, and several acids, 
as angelic, valerianic and methyl-crotonic. 
BEIiLADONNiE RADIX (Belladonna Root). 
The root of Atropa Belladonna (Fam. Solanacese), 
a perennial herb native of Central and Southern 
Europe, and cultivated in England and Germany, from 
which countries most of the commercial supply is 
obtained. The roots are collected in autumn from 
plants three to four years old and carefully dried. 
Description. — Cylindrical, slightly tapering, some- 
what twisted, or split into longitudinal pieces 5 to 15 
cm. long, 4 to 25 mm. in diameter; externally light 
brown, smooth, longitudinally wrinkled or fissured, 
sometimes with transverse ridges and with rootlet scars 
or fragments of rootlets; fracture short, mealy when 
dry, tough when damp ; internally light yellow, slightly 
radiate, bark 0 5 to 2 mm. thick, not fibrous, and 
adhering closely to the w r ood, cambium zone distinct; 
odor narcotic; taste sweetish, acrid. 
Roots that are shrunken, spongy, dark brown and 
free from starch should be rejected, as also old woody 
roots and stem- remnants. 
Phytolacca root and Althsea are distinguished from 
belladonna root by having numerous sclerenchymatous 
fibers, and inula by having neither starch nor crypto- 
crystalline crystals of calcium oxalate. 
Constituents. — There are two principal alkaloids — 
