106 
ON  THE  PHARMACY  OF  CIMICIFUGA. 
unstable  preparation,  may  be  advantageously  made  in  the  same 
manner,  using  a  tincture  made  by  macerating  4  ounces  (troy)  of 
orange  peel  for  7  days  in  12  ounces  of  alcohol,  expressing,  filter- 
ing, and  adding  this  to  the  sugar,  etc.,  as  above.* 
ON  THE  PHARMACY  OF  CIMICIFUGA. 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
Cimicifuga,  or  black  snake  root,  belongs  to  the  natural  family 
Ranunculacese,  with  black  hellebore,  aconite,  hydrastis,  and  coptis. 
Although  a  prevailing  character  of  the  plants  of  this  family  is  acri- 
mony, exceptions  exist  as  in  hydrastis  and  coptis,  which  are  simple 
bitters.  The  cimicifuga  appears  to  hold  an  intermediate  position. 
Like  the  coptis  it  is  exceedingly  bitter,  but  in  addition  to  its  tonic 
power  it  possesses  some  acrimony  and  exerts  considerable  influence 
over  the  nervous  system  with  tendency  to  the  brain.  In  its  merely 
chemical  relations  it  is  more  analogous  to  Helleborus  niger  than 
than  to  any  of  its  congeners.  Like  that  root  it  contains  a  large 
quantity  of  bitter  resin,  readily  separable;  and  also  a  volatile 
principle,  which  diminishes  by  keeping,  and  appears  to  be  con- 
cerned in  giving  medicinal  activity  to  the  root.  Unlike  Helleborus, 
however,  it  is  not  drastic,  yet  it  exercises  some  influence  over  the 
uterus.  It  is  probable  that  the  discrepancies  in  the  testimony  re- 
garding its  medical  powers  are  due  in  part  to  the  variable  quality 
of  the  drug,  as  well  as  to  the  imperfect  pharmaceutic  treatment 
which  it  has  undergone  preparatory  to  use.  It  has  been  adminis- 
tered in  powder,  decoction  and  tincture,  but  most  frequently  in  de- 
coction, and  this  prepared  at  the  house  of  the  patient.  Too  often 
the  root  is  dispensed  imperfectly  bruised,  or  perhaps  not  at  all,  and 
thus  treated  by  ebullition  "  to  get  all  the  strength  out,"  until  the 
resulting  decoction  is  deteriorated.  No  one  thinks  of  decocting 
black  hellebore,  and  the  old  process  for  the  extract  with  water  has 
been  wisely  abandoned,  the  tincture  and  hydro-alcoholic  extract 
being  chiefly  relied  on.    The  tincture  of  cimicifuga  is  a  good  pre- 
[*  With  due  deference  to  the  skill  of  Mr.  Laidley,  and  without  being 
able  from  positive  trial  to  assert  it  as  incorrect,  we  cannot  agree  with  him 
that  alcohol  of  .835  is  the  proper  menstruum  for  senna,  when  viewed  in 
reference  to  the  medicinal  value  of  the  resulting  preparations.  (See  U.  S. 
Disp.  9th  Edit.  p.  675.)— Editor.] 
