American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

HYDRASTIS. Hydrastis canadensis.
Synonyms—Golden seal, Yellow puccoon.
PREPARATIONS—
Specific Medicine Hydrastis , alcoholic, contains a bitter coloring
principle, berberine, and the white alkaloids, hydrastine and canadine,
and resinous and oily principles. Dose, from one to ten minims.
Colorless Hydrastis, non-alcoholic, contains the colorless alkaloids
and the inorganic salts dissolved in glycerine and water.
Extractum Hydrastis Fluidum, Fluid Extract of Hydrastis. Dose,
three to twenty minims.
Extractum Hydrastis, Inspissated Extract, Extract of Hydrastis.
Dose, one to five grains.
Tincture of Hydrastis. Dose, from twenty minims to two drams.
Hydrastis Pulvis, Powdered Hydrastis. Dose, from three to fifteen
grains.
Berberine (Hydrastin, yellow). Dose from one-half to five grains.
Hydrastine (white). Dose, from one-tenth of a grain to three grains.
CONSTITUENTS—
Berberine, Hydrastine, Canadine.
Physiological Action—In its influence upon the nervous system, this
agent has stimulating properties in part analogous to those of strychnine.
Its influence is more slowly developed and more permanent. In extreme
doses it blunts the sensibility of the terminal nerve filaments, and
convulsions have resulted from its use.
It stimulates the respiration and circulation, imparting tone and
increased power to the heart's action, increasing arterial tension and
capillary blood pressure. It influences blood stasis similarly to ergot and
belladonna.
The tone imparted to the muscular structure of the heart differs from that
imparted by strychnine in being permanent and not spasmodic or
intermittent in character. It influences muscular structure everywhere
in the system in the same manner. It stimulates normal fibrillar
contractility and increased tonus, encouraging the nutrition of muscular
structure. It inhibits the development of superfluous muscular tissue and
abnormal growth within that structure. It is thus most valuable in altered
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 253