Quassia

Quassi amer, Fr. ; Quassienholz, Ger. The wood of Picraena excelsa Lindley ( Quassia excelsa Swartz; Nat. Ord. Simaru-bacece).

Preparations

Extractum Quassiae. Extract of quassia. Dose, gr. j—gr. iij.

Tinctura Quassiae

Tincture of quassia (100 grm. to 1,000 c. c. of diluted alcohol). Dose, τηv — 3 τηj.

Extractum Quassiae Fluidum

Fluid extract of quassia. Dose, τη v— 3 ss.

Composition

Quassia-wood contains a crystallizable bitter principle, neutral, called quassin.

Gentiana

Gentian, gentiane, Fr.; Bittenourzel, Ger. The root of Gentiana lutea Linné (Nat. Ord. Gentianaceae).

Preparations

Infusum Gentianae Compositum. (Not official.) Compound infusion of gentian. (Gentian, bitter orange-peel, coriander.) Dose, 3 j— oz j.

Tinctura Gentianae Composita

Compound tincture of gentian. (Gentian, bitter orange-peel, cardamom, alcohol.) Dose, 3 ss— 3 ij.

Extractum Gentiance Fluidum

Fluid extract of gentian. Dose, 3 ss— 3 ij.

Extractum Gentianae

Extract of gentian. Dose, gr. j—gr. v.

Composition

Gentian contains a peculiar principle, gentianine, and an acid, gentisic acid.

Gentiana Catesbaei

Blue gentian, American gentian. This indigenous remedy may be used as a substitute for the foreign gentian, and similar preparations to the official formula for gentian, as above, may be prepared from it.

Unofficial Formula

Mistura gentiance alkalina. Dilute hydrocyanic acid, τη iij; bicarbonate of soda, grs. xv; compound infusion of gentian to oz. j.

Mistura Gentiance et Sennae

Infusion of gentian, drachms vj; infusion of senna, drachms iij; compound tincture of cardamoms, drachmj.

Calumba

Colombe (racine de), Fr.; Ruhrwurzel, Ger. The root of Jateorrhiza calumba Meiers (Nat. Ord. Menispermacem).

Preparations

Infusum Calumbae. (Not official.) Infusion of calumba ( 3 j—Oj). Dose, § ss— § ij.

Tinctura Calumbae

Tincture of calumba (100 grm. to 1,000 c. c. of diluted alcohol). Dose, 3 ss— 3 ij-

Extractum Calumbae Fluidum

Fluid extract of calumba. Dose, 3 ss— 3 ij.

Composition

A peculiar principle, colombin, berberine, and a peculiar acid, colombic acid.

Coptis

Goldthread. The root of Coptis trifolia. There are no official preparations of coptis. It contains, in common with some other bitters, the alkaloid berberine, and another alkaloid in minute quantity" which has been called coptine, closely allied to, if not identical with, hydrastine. The tincture and fluid extracts are the best preparations.

Calendula

The florets of Calendula officinalis, Linné (Nat. Ord. Compositoe).

Tinctura Calendulae

Tincture of calendula. Calendula, 200 grm., and alcohol q. s. to make 1,000 c. c.

Cornus

Dogwood. The bark of the root of Cornus florida Linné (Nat. Ord. Cornaceae).

Preparation

Extractum Cornus Fluidum. — Fluid extract of dogwood. Dose, τη x— 3 j.

Decoctum Cornus Floridae

(Not official.) Decoction of dogwood (oz j—Oj). Dose, oz ss— oz ij.

Antagonists and Incompatibles

Quassia and calumba can be administered with the salts of iron. The sulphate of iron, and the silver and lead salts, are incompatible with gentian. The infusion of coptis is not affected by the salts of iron, but is precipitated by the nitrate of silver and acetate of lead. Therapeutically, all those agents which promote waste or destructive metamorphosis are opposed to the action of the simple bitters.

Synergists

Iron, the mineral acids, pepsin, bismuth, etc., are synergistic to the bitters, and under some circumstances the alkalies promote their therapeutic action.