Page 173 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

RHIZOMA HYDRASTIS

Hydrastis; Hydrastis Rhizome, Golden Seal, Yellow Root.

Hydrastis is the dried rhizome and roots of Hydrastis canadensis Linne
(Fam. Ranunculaceae). Hydrastis contains not more than 4 %. of foreign organic
matter and yields not less than 15 % of hydrastine.

Hydrastis canadensis Linne is a small herbaceous plant with perennial
rhizome, widely distributed in world: in Canada and the eastern United Satate.
The rhizomes and roots are collected in the autumn, washed, cleaned, and then
dried on a clean dry floor or in partial shade, protected from rain, outside. They
are kept in loose masses until marketed, to prevent mold attack.

Macroscopical Characters
Rhizomes: Small, horizontal or oblique, sub-cylindrical, tortuous, I-6 cm.
long, 2-12 mm. thick, externally, yellowish-brown to grayish-brown, longit-udinally
wrinkled and marked by encircling scale-leaf scars, frequent short, upright
branches terminated by cup-shaped scars of aerial stems, and numerous brittle
curved roots or their short remains or their circular yellow scars especially on
the lateral and ventral surfaces, fracture, short and resinous, internally, dark
yellow to' dark yellowish-brown, showing a narrow cortex, and a ring of
separated vascular bundles surrounding a wide pith.

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