Herniaria. Herniaria glabra.

Botanical name: 

Herniaria. Herniaria glabra L. (Fam. Caryophyllaceae.)—This genus was formerly included in the family Illecebraceae, but this is now segregated with the Caryophyllaceae. Goblez has obtained from this plant a crystalline principle, herniarine (J. P. C., 4e ser., xx, 270), which proved to be methyl-umbelliferone, C10H8O3. Schneegans has also discovered an alkaloid, paronychine. (A. J. P., 1890, 488.) This plant is recommended by Zeissi in catarrh of the bladder. Very active diuretic properties have been attributed to herniaria by Kuhn (Med. Kirn., 1908) and others, who have found that it was successful in the treatment of dropsy, whether of cardiac or nephritic origin.


The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 1918, was edited by Joseph P. Remington, Horatio C. Wood and others.