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RHAMNUS PURSHIANA

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Originally appearing in Volume V23, Page 231 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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RHAMNUS PURSHIANA , or Californian See also:

buckthorn, a plant the bark of which is used in See also:medicine under the name of cascara sagrada. An active principle anthra-gluco-sagradin has been isolated by Tschirch. The preparations of it contained in the See also:British See also:pharmacopoeia are: (1) Extractum cascarae sagradae (extractum rhamni purshianae, See also:United States pharmacopoeia), dose 2 to 8 grs.; (2) Extractum cascarae sagradae liquidum, dose z to r fl. dr. From the latter is prepared syrupus cascarae aromaticus, dose z to 2 fl. dr. In•this preparation the See also:bitter See also:taste of the cascara sagrada is disguised by the addition of See also:tincture of See also:orange, See also:cinnamon See also:water and See also:syrup. In the United States pharmacopoeial preparation Fluid extractum rhamni purshianae aromaticum, does so to 30 minims, the taste is similarly obscured. Cascara sagrada, is one of the most useful of all laxatives, since not only does it empty the bowel of faecal See also:matter, but it acts as a tonic to the See also:intestine and tends to pre-vent future See also:constipation. It is largely used in the treatment of chronic constipation. A single full dose of the liquid See also:extract may be taken at bedtime, or divided doses, so to 15 minims, three times a See also:day before meals. When a strong purgative is required some See also:drug other than cascara sagrada should be employed, but its use in gradually decreasing doses is indicated after evacuation has been effected by See also:podophyllin or See also:rhubarb. Cascara sagrada is the See also:principal constituent of most of the proprietary laxatives on the See also:market.

End of Article: RHAMNUS PURSHIANA

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