Origin. - The hydrochloride of an artificial alkaloid derived from hydrastine.

Description and Properties. - Light-yellow, amorphous granules, or a pale-yellow crystalline powder, odorless, and having a bitter, saline taste; deliquescent on exposure to damp air. Soluble in 0.3 part of water and in 3 parts of alcohol. The product should be kept in well-stoppered vials. - Dose, 1/12-1/2 grain (0.005-0.03 Gm.) [1/2 grain (0.03 Gm.), U. S. P.J.

Antagonists and Incompatibles. - The alkalies, mineral acids, and tannic and other vegetable acids are incompatible with preparations of hydrastis. The physiological antagonists are the methane hypnotics.

Synergists. - Quinine and the vegetable bitters aid its action upon the digestive tract, ergot upon the uterus, and strychnine upon the spinal cord.

Physiological Action. - Externally arid Locally. - Hydrastine possesses astringent and antiseptic properties when applied locally.

Internally. - Digestive System. - Its action is that of a bitter, stimulating the saliva and enteric secretions. In excessive doses it produces gastric disturbance, almost invariably occasioning vomiting.

Circulatory System. - The vagus is stimulated, causing a preliminary slowing of the heart. It may also have a distinct poisonous action on the heart-muscle. Arterial tension is raised. Large doses weaken the heart and drop pressure. In its effect upon the white blood-corpuscles it resembles quinine.

Nervous System. - The action of hydrastis on the nervous system is similar in many respect to that of strychnine, particularly on the medulla and spinal cord. Cerebral effects are not described with definiteness in man.

Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerves. - The cord is stimulated. The reflexes are increased with tonic, and at times clonic, convulsions, and tetany of the respiratory musculature may occur.

Respiratory System. - It stimulates the respiratory center.

Absorption and Elimination. - It is slowly absorbed, tending to accumulate in the system. It is eliminated chiefly by the kidneys, increasing slightly the urinary flow.

Temperature. - Medicinal doses have no effect; poisonous doses decrease bodily heat.

Eye. - It has no particular action upon the eye, other than at first to contract and then to dilate the pupil when directly applied.

Uterus. - Hydrastine is a feeble oxytocic, affecting the womb in a manner similar to, though much less powerful than, ergot.

Pembrey and Phillips claim that it has no action on the uterus.

Poisoning. - The symptoms are almost identical with those of strychnine, and the same line of treatment is to be followed. Fatal poisoning is practically unknown.

Therapeutics. - Externally and Locally. - The fluidextract of hydrastis, 15 to 20 minims (1.0-1.2 Cc.) to 4 ounces (118 Cc.) of water, makes an efficient injection in gonorrhea.

The topical action of hydrastis and its preparations is that of an antiseptic and tonic, strengthening the circulation and nutrition, rendering the drug peculiarly valuable in diseases of mucous surfaces.

The tinctur - 1 fluidram (3.7 Cc.) to 1 ounce (30.0 Cc.) of water - is a valuable mouth-wash in all indolent and offensive ulcerations of the mouth and throat, such as syphilitic and mercurial affections, follicular pharyngitis, etc.

The fluidextract serves a useful purpose in the local treatment of anal fissures and of rectal ulcer, vaginal and uterine ulcerations and leukorrhea. Indolent ulcers are stimulated by the bitter action to a healthier condition by the application of this preparation.

Internally. - As a remedy for diseased conditions of the stomach and bowels it is of much the same value as the vegetable bitters and may be used for the same purpose.

Hydrastine, and more particularly hydrastinine or its closely related body cotarnine, acts upon the uterus very much like ergot, and has been highly recommended by well-known authorities in uterine hemorrhages and other uterine disorders for which ergot is used. By careful observers, of experience with the drug, it is considered superior to ergot in the hemorrhage of puberty and the menopause as well as congestive dysmenorrhea.

Koniger has treated hemoptysis successfully with the fluidextract in 20- or 30-minim (1.2-2.0 Cc.) doses, repeated several times a day. The drug has proved equally beneficial in arresting the night-sweats of phthisis, and is an efficient substitute for alcoholic stimulants when their use is abandoned.

Administration. - When taken for its action upon the stomach and bowels it should be given before meals; for its effect on the uterus it is best administered in divided doses or the hydrastine hydrochlorate hypodermically.

Cotarnine is a synthetic product from narcotin, and used as a styptic and in uterine hemorrhage in 1/2-grain doses thrice daily or oftener.