Page 259 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

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

Uses
On the basis of the high tannin content, as an astringent, for inflammation of

the gums, fissures in the tongue, stomatitis, pharyngitis, and less often in angina.
When in use, Rhatany is often mixed with myrrh. The drug has been employed
internally as anti-diarrhea in enteritis but is no longer so widely used; the same is
true of its external application to leg sores.

Adulteration
This occurs, especially with the roots of other Krameria species. In the

genuine drug, almost all cells (especially those of the bark) have a brownish-red
content, while in the commercial drug there are only a few such cells. The important
of these is para-rhatany: it is the root of Krameria argentea Mart.

TUBERA ACONITI

Radix Aconiti, Aconitum, Monkshood root, Daranatu Khaniquel Zei'b.

It is the dried tuberous root of Aconitum napellus Linne (Fam.
Ranunculaceae). It contains not more than 6% of its stems and not more than 2%
of foreign organic matter and yields not less than 5% of total alkaloids of aconite,
calculated as aconitine, of which not less than 30% consists of aconitine. It is
collected in the autumn and dried. The drug is obtained in Britain from cultivated
plants, in central and northern Europe from wild plants growing on the lower
mountain slopes and is exported mainly from Germany.

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