(American Hellebore.)

Origin. - The dried rhizome and roots of Veratrum viride Solander, a plant growing in swampy places and damp thickets in Canada, and in the United States as far south as Georgia. The plant closely resembles V. album of Europe, and is also allied to a species found in Eastern Siberia.

Description and Properties. - Rhizome upright, obconical, simple or divided, from 2 to 3 inches (50-75 Mm.) long; externally blackish-gray, internally grayish-white, showing numerous short, irregular wood-bundles. Many shrivelled, light yellowish-brown roots issue from all parts of the rhizome.

The drug is inodorous, but strongly sternutatory when powdered, the taste bitterish and very acrid.

Veratrum viride contains the following alkaloids: veratrinejervine, pseudojervine, rubijervine, and cevadine. The veratrine is in small amounts only. The closely related Asagraa officinalis or Sabadilla contains veratrine in larger amounts; it also contains a related alkaloid protoveratrine.

Dose. - 1/4-5 grains (0.01-0.3 Gm.) [2 grains (0.125 Gm.), U. S. P.],

Official Preparations

Fluidextractum Veratri - Fluidextractum Veratri - Fluidextract of Veratrum. - Dose, 1/4-5 minims (0.01-0.3 Cc) [1 1/2 minims (0.1 Cc), U. S. P.].

Tinctura Veratri - Tinctiirae Veratri - Tincture of Veratrum (10 per cent). - Dose, 1-15 minims (0.06-1 Cc.) [15 minims (1 Cc), U. S. P.].

Allied Drugs.

Veratrum Album - Veratri Albi - White or European Hellebore.

Sebadilla - Sebadillae - Cevadilla.

The seeds of this plant yield the following official alkaloid, known as Veratrine: