Ligustrum.

Botanical name: 

The bark and leaves of Ligustrum vulgare, Linné (Nat. Ord. Oleaceae). A beautiful shrub in woods and thickets in the eastern half of the United States; also cultivated. Dose, 10 to 60 grains.
Common Names: Privet, Privy, Prim.

Principal Constituents.—The glucoside ligustrin (syringin), a bitter crystalline body, ligustron, and an amorphous bitter, syringopikrin.
Preparation.—Decoctum Ligustri, Decoction of Privet (1 ounce to Water, 16 fluidounces). Dose, 1 to 4 fluidounces.
Specific Indications.—Aphthous sore mouth; relaxed sore throat.

Action and Therapy.—External. Next to coptis the most useful application for thrush in infants and of value in pallid sore throat with tissue relaxation, and in aphthous sore mouth.

Internal. An astringent tonic of much value in ulcerative and catarrhal conditions of the mucous membranes of the stomach, bowels, and renal tract.


The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 1922, was written by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D.