Convallaria. - The rhizome and roots of Convallaria majalis I.inne (nat. ord. Liliaceae). Synonym. - Lily of the Valley.

Habitat

United States, in the Allegheny Mountains; Europe and Northern Asia.

Characters

Of horizontal growth and somewhat branched, about 3 mm. thick, cylindrical, wrinkled, whitish, marked with few circular scars; at the annulate joint are about eight or ten, long, thin roots; fracture somewhat fibrous, white; odor peculiar, pleasant; taste sweetish, bitter, and somewhat acrid.

Composition

The chief constituents are - (1) Convallamarin, C46H44 024, a glucoside the active principle; a white, bitter-sweet powder, soluble in water and Alcohol. (2) Convallarin, C34H31O11, a glucoside, in acrid prisms, sparingly soluble in, but foaming with water, soluble in Alcohol, but not in Ether. This is said only to purge.

Preparation

Extractum Convallariae Fluidum. Fluid Extract Of Convallaria

By maceration and percolation with Diluted Alcohol, and evaporation.

Dose, 5 to 30 m.; .30 to 2.00 c.c

Action And Therapeutics Of Convallaria

The action of convallaria is precisely that of digitalis, and it may be given in exactly the same varieties of heart disease. It is sometimes successful when digitalis has failed. It is not so powerful as digitalis, but some find it less likely to produce sickness. It is said to act more powerfully upon the right heart, but this is probably not true. A more extended experience seems to indicate that this drug is very unreliable.