HeadAke Capsules

The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 1918, Edited by Joseph P. Remington, Horatio C. Wood and others. - Lemon Balm

Melissa. U. S. 1890. Melissa. Balm.—Under this name were formerly recognized by the U. S. P. the leaves and tops of Melissa officinalis L. (Fam. Labiatae), or the ordinary balm of Southern Europe, which has become naturalized in this country. Balm contains some tannic acid, and a yellowish, highly flavored essential oil which, however, is present in such small quantities that the plant has practically no remedial value. The allied Satureja Calamintha (L.) Scheele, var. Sylvatica Brig., is said to contain sufficient aromatic volatile oil to be of possible commercial interest. Under the name of oil of lemon balm or oil of balm the essential oil of melissa has been used as a diaphoretic in doses of from one to three minims (0.06 to 0.2 mil). This oil is a yellow liquid with a specific gravity of 0.9 to 0.925. Its most important constituent is citral.

A Manual Materia Medica Pharmacology. Comprising All Organic And Iinorganic Drugs Which Are Or Have Been Official In The United States Pharmacopia by David M. K. Culbreth, Pn.G., M.D. 1917 - Willow Bark

HairiUit. Europe, N. America; cultivated. Sun. White Willow, O»mmon European-, Duck-, Huntington-, Salicin Willow, Withe, Withy; Fr. Haulc blanc, Halicine; («er. Weidcnriride, Salicin. Sa'llz. L. eee etymology, above, of Salicarete. Pop'u-lus. L. poplar, fr. populwt, the people—being often planted along the public waye in Rome, where it was called arlx/r jxjjmli, tree of the people. 148 ORGAX1С DRVGS FROM THE VEGETABLE K1XGD0M Plants.—These two juxta-positioned сенега are composed mostly of large trees 15-1$ M. (50-00°) high, with flexible branches: &i/¿r leaves, long pointed, entire or glandularly toothed; Populus leaves, broad, more or less heart-shaped, ovate, toothed: flowers May, both in catkins appearing before the leaves, dioecious, buds covered with scales, or a varnish; barks of both genera resemble; that of Salix slips from the wood more readily. CoNsmTKXTS»—Salicin 1-3 p. c, tannin 12 p. c, extractive matter. Salicinum. Salicin.—Obtained by several methods: 1. Add litharge or basic lead acetate to hot concentrated decoction of young bark to remove tannin, gum. extractive; the filtrate contains salicin ami some absorbed lead, the latter is separated by adding sulphuric acid and barium sulphide, while salicin. upon concentration of the filtrate, crys tallizes out. When basic lead acetate is used, the free acid should lie neutralized with calcium carbonate, and then the filtrate evaporated. 2. Boil hark with milk of lime to remove tannin, evaporate filtrate to soft extract, digest this with alcohol, from which salicin will crystallize after distilling off the alcohol. It is in color less, silky, shining, crystalline needles, rhombic prisms, white, crystalline powder, odorless, very bitter taste, soluble in water (23.5). hot water (3.3). alcohol (SS.5), hot alcohol (30), insoluble in chloroform, ether; aqueous solution (1 in 30) neutral. Uevorotatory, melts at 2(H)0 C. (392° F.). Tests: 1. Heat small portion in test-tube until brown, add distilled water (few Ml.; Cc), + few drops of ferric chloride T. S.—violet .^^^Л"™^! «>br. 2. With sulphuric acid—red color, dis- transvrtw sootion, magnified , r . * is di«m. appearingon adding distilled water; incinerate 2 Gm.—ash .05 p. с 3. Heat gently .1 Gm. with potassium dichromate .2 Gm. + diluted sulphuric acid 2 Ml. (.Cc.)—fragrant odor of salicylic aldehyde. Impurities: Heavy metals, alkaloids, salicylic acid. Should lie kept in well-closed containers. Dose. gr. 10-30 (.0-2 Gm.). Commercial.—The White Willow (Salis al'baï ami Crack Willow (8. frag'His) contain most tannin, the Purrfe Willow (S. purpu'rea) most salicin, it being even in the leaves, although largest quantity in bark of young wood. Populus al'ba, P. angustifo'lia, P. acuminata, P. trcm'ula, all yield salicin to a considerable extent. Preparation's,—(I'noff.): May give in powder, pill, syrup, water, or with licorice extract, in small and frequent doses. Properties.—Bitter tonic, antiperiodie, antipyretic, antiseptic, antiferment. Its action is slower, weaker, and depresses heart less than salicylic acid; it is non-toxic, possibly circulates like salicylic acid in the blood as sodium salicylate, and is eliminated chiefly by the urine as salicylic, salicyluric, salicylous acids and saligenin, being first con verted in the stomach into glucose and saligenin. SALIX—SALIX 149 FAGACE-* USES.—Acute rheumatism, lower temperature in fevers; relieves pain, reduces arterial swellings, intermittents (not nearly so effective as quinine), coryza, hay fever, influenza, neuralgia, diabetes. Externally —gangrenous wounds, eczema, cancer, burns, fetid perspiration (applied in solution with borax).

The Family Herbal, 1812, was written by John Hill. - Rosemary

Botanical name: Rosmarinus officinalis Rosmarinus. A pretty shrub, wild in Spain and France, and kept in our gardens. It is five or six feet high, but weak, and not well able to support itself. The trunk is covered with a rough bark. The leaves stand very thick on the branches, which are brittle and slender: they are narrow, an inch long and thick, and they are of a deep green on tho upper side, and whitish underneath. The flowers stand at the tops of the branches among the leaves; they are large and very beautiful, of a greyish colour, with a somewhat reddish tinge, and of a very fragrant smell. Rosemary, when in flower, makes a very beautiful appearance. The flowery tops of rosemary, fresh gathered, contain its greatest virtue. If they are used in the manner of tea, for a continuance of time, they are excellent against head-achs, tremblings of the limbs, and all other nervous disorders. A conserve is made of them also, which very well answers this purpose, but when the conserve is made only of the picked flowers, it has less virtue. The con serve is best made by beating up the fresh gathered tops with three times their weight of sugar. The famous Hungary water is made also of these flowery tops of rosemary. Put two pound of these into a common still, with two gallons of melasses spirit, and distil off one gallon and a pint. This is Hungary water.

The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics Written by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D. 1922 - Valerian

Botanical name: Valeriana officinalis The dried rhizome and roots of Valeriana officinalis, Linné (Nat. Ord. Valerianaceae). A native of Europe, but cultivated in England and the United States. Dose, 30 grains. Common Names: Valerian, Great Wild Valerian. Principal Constituents.—A volatile oil (Oleum Valeriana) composed chiefly of borneol and pinene, from 1 to 2 per cent, and valeric acid. Preparations.—1. Specific Medicine Valerian. Dose, 1 to 30 drops. 2. Tinctura Valeriana, Tincture of Valerian. Dose, 1 to 2 fluidrachms. 3. Tinctura Valeriana Ammoniata, Ammoniated Tincture of Valerian. Dose, 1 to 60 drops. Specific Indications.—Cerebral anemia; hysteria; chorea; hemicrania, all with mental depression and despondency; mild spasmodic movements. Action and Therapy.—Valerian is a good cerebral and spinal stimulant. It also stimulates the gastro-intestinal secretions and favors digestion, unless given in too large doses or too long continued. It is one of the best of calmatives for that collective condition termed "nervousness". To act well it should be given when the brain circulation is feeble and there is mental depression and despondency. With such symptoms it proves useful in hysteria and hypochondria, nervous headache, and hemicrania. It is one of the best medicines we possess in the treatment of chorea. It should be given with an equal quantity of specific medicine macrotys, about ten to fifteen drops of each, three or four times a day. It controls hyperaesthesia better than actual convulsive attacks; therefore, it is of little value in epilepsy, for which it has sometimes been suggested; and in chorea it should be persisted in when the movements are mild, in order to prevent more pronounced muscular incoordination. In mental depression, due to worry or imaginary wrongs, valerian is an admirable drug. Owing to its volatile oil it is a good carminative in flatulence, with nervous unrest, and relieves the disagreeable sense of fullness felt after a meal by causing a rifting of gas. The oil and the ammoniated tincture are useful agents in fainting and nervous palpitation of the heart.