Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  j 
January,  19 18.  > 
Podophyllum  peltatum  Linne. 
IS 
Wisconsin,  from  the  same  type  of  soil,  during  the  growing  season 
of  1916.    These  samples  were  examined  in  August,  1917. 
The  moisture  content  of  the  fresh  drug  was  greatest  at  the 
height  of  the  growing  season  and  least  after  the  plant  became  dor- 
mant in  the  fall. 
The  ash  content  of  mixed  rhizome  and  roots  was  found  to  be  in 
excess  of  that  specified  by  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  IX. 
The  greatest  percentage  of  resin  was  found  in  the  early  spring- 
collected  drug  and  this  resin  conforms  closely  to  the  Pharmacopceial 
requirements. 
The  spring-collected  drug,  gathered  just  as  the  plants  began  to 
show  above  ground,  and  the  late  fall-collected  drug  are  both  worthy 
of  consideration.  The  spring-collected  drug  yields  high  in  resin 
which  conforms  more  closely  to  the  requirements  than  does  the  fall- 
collected  drug.  The  latter  calculated  on  the  basis  of  fresh  material 
will  yield  more  resin  since  the  rhizome  and  roots  contain  less  water 
than  the  spring-collected  drug. 
To  secure  the  maximum  amount  of  resin  the  rhizome  and  roots 
of  Podophyllum  peltatum  should  be  collected  in  the  fall  of  the  year 
after  the  aerial  part  of  the  plant  has  died  down.  If  spring  collec- 
tion is  attempted  it  should  be  done  before  the  plant  begins  to  send 
out  aerial  shoots.  Later  than  this  the  resin  decreases  and  the 
moisture  content  of  the  rhizome  and  roots  increases. 
From  the  collector's  point  of  view  the  fall-gathered  drug  is  best, 
since  it  gives  the  highest  yield  of  air-dried  material.  The  manu- 
facturer will  prefer  the  spring-collected  drug  since  the  resin  content 
is  high  and  the  amount  of  dry  material  to  be  worked  over  is  rela- 
tively much  less  than  when  the  drug  is  collected  in  the  fall. 
Drug-Plant  and  Poisonous-Plant  Investigations, 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry, 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 
