Abstracts from the French Journals.

Botanical name: 

Translated for the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY

ANEMONE PULSATILLA. In some observations upon this plant (Gaz. Hebdom., May 27, June 3), P. Vigier adds little to our knowledge of it, but does something negatively for science by making no claim for its medicinal virtues beyond its sedative effect and the fact that, taken internally, it reduced the catarrhal fever of a cold in the head and nearly stopped the nasal secretion. He states that the distillations when bottled and put aside lose their bad odor and acridity and deposit anemonin. Alkalies dissolve it readily, making anemonates. He finds the atomic formula to be C15H12O6 [agreeing with Fehling], the anemonic acid having one more equivalent of oxygen. "A curious peculiarity is that hydrochloric acid dissolves the anemonin without altering it, whilst nitric and sulphuric acids destroy it rapidly." He has often taken 10 centigm. of it without toxic effect; 2 to 4 centigm. a day were enough to get the anti-catarrhal effect and that on the nervous system. The leaves lose their properties by dessication; the roots do not, and these possess the medicinal properties of the plant in a much higher degree. They are gathered in June. Equal parts by weight of the root and alcohol at 90 are macerated for fifteen days. The mixture keeps well. The dose is 2 to 4 gm. a day—less than that of the tincture made from the leaves. He proposes a syrup of syr. aurant. flor. 95 gm. and tincture (as above) 5 gm.; two to four gm. daily, in water.


The American Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 59, 1887, was edited by John M. Maisch.