Page 269 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

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

Uses
White hellebore is a powerful emetic and purgative drug when administered

in full doses. Its preparations are usually employed as external applications in certain
skin diseases. The powdered drug is used as parasiticide and insecticide and as moth
powder.

American veratrum
Green Hellebore, Rhizoma veratri viridis

It is the rhizome of Veratruin virile Aiton, family Liliaceae. It is closely
resembl V album, and common in the eastern United States, growing in rich woods.
The drug is commonly termed Green Hellebore, but this name is better restricted to
the rhizome of Helleborus viridis Linn. The rhizome closely resembles that of V.
album. The american veratrum is usually cut longitudinally, while white veratrum is
usually entire. Other characters are the brighter, yellowish-brown color and the more
transversely shriveled appearance of the roots. The endodermal cells of V. viride are
U-shaped and evenly thickened, while those of V. album are V-shaped. These
characters vary to a considerable degree.

Green Hellebore contains the alkaloids which possess a high hypotensive
effect. Other constituents are calcium oxalate in bundles of acicular crystals and
starch. V viride contains a large number of alkaloids classified in three groups on the
basis of their chemical constitution. Group I, consisting of esters of the steroidal
bases (alkamines) with organic acids, includes cevadine, germidine, germitrine, neo-
germitrine, neo-protoveratrine, protoveratrine and veratridine. Group II includes
pseudojervine and veratrosine, which are glucosides of alkamines. The alkamines
themselves, germine, jervine, rubijervine and veratramine comprise group III.
Preparations of American veratrum are used for the treatment of hypertension, and
as cardiac depressant and sedat

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