102. Hydrophyllaceae.—Waterleaf family.

Fig. 213. Leaf of Yerba Santa.

464. Eriodictyon.—Yerba santa. Mountain balm. Consumptive's weed.

The dried leaves of Eriodic'tyon Californicum Greene.

BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS.—Low shrubs with alternate leaves. Calyx of narrow sepals; corolla violet or purple, occasionally white, with the filaments adherent to it; ovary 2-celled. Fruit a small capsule.

HABITAT.—California, and in mountains of Northern Mexico.

DESCRIPTION OF DRUG.—Oblong-lanceolate, from 50 to 100 mm. (2 to 4 in.) long, 10 to 30 mm. (2/5 to 1 1/5 in.) broad, with a sharp apex, and narrowed at the base into a short foot-stalk; margin sinuate or almost entire; upper surface brownish-green and varnished with a resinous coating; under surface greenish-white, hairy, with a prominent midrib and distinct reticulations; brittle, odor aromatic; taste balsamic, sweetish, free from bitterness.

RELATED SPECIES.—Eriodictyon tomentosum, growing with the other, is large and has a dense coat of short, villous hairs, becoming whitish or mustycolored with age.

Powder.—Characteristic elements: See Part iv, Chap. 1, B.

CONSTITUENTS.—Volatile oil, an acrid resin, tannin, ericolin, C34H56O21.

ACTION AND USES—Long used in California as a stimulant balsamic expectorant. Its preparations are principally used, however, as vehicles to disguise the taste of disagreeable medicines like quinine. Dose: 15 to 30 gr. (1 to 2 Gm.).

OFFICIAL PREPARATION.
Fluidextractum Eriodictyi Dose: 15 to 30 drops (1 to 2 Mils).

A Manual of Organic Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy, 1917, was written by Lucius E. Sayre, B.S. Ph. M.