HYDRASTIS CAN A DENS IS

Syn. The Golden Seal . This is a small herbaceous perennial North American plant, belonging to the natural order, Ranunculaceæ . The rhizome, which is the officinal part, though yellow in the recent root, becomes of a dark yellowish-brown by age. It contains albumen, starch, fatty matter, resin, yellow colouring matter, sugar, lignin, and various salts; also a peculiar nitrogenous crystallisable substance, to which Dr Durand, the discoverer, proposed the provisional name of hydras tin, which substance will be found described below. The root of the golden-seal, as well as the alkaloids obtainable from it, are largely used in American medical practice, and are stated to po e valuable tonic, aperient, diuretic, and deobstruent powers. They have been employed in dyspepsia, jaundice, and functional disorders of the liver. They are also regarded as one of the best substitutes for quinine in intermit tents. Golden seal has been given in the form of infusion, decoction, tincture, and extract, and the fluid extract is now officinal in the United States’ Pharma copœia.