Description.—Orbicular, nearly flat, sometimes irregularly bent, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter and two in thickness; externally grayish or greenish-gray, the surface covered with short closely oppressed, satiny hairs; rounded or somewhat acute at the margin, with a slight ridge extending from the center of one side to the edge; internally whitish-gray, horny, very tough, the endosperm in two more or less regular concavo-convex halves, between which, at one end, lie the heart-shaped, palmately nerved cotyledons; inodorous; taste intensely and persistently bitter.
Constituents.—Two alkaloids. 1. Strychnine, 0.2-0.6 per cent. 2. Brucine, 0.5-1.0 per cent. Similar in action to strychnine, but weaker and slower. Both alkaloids exist in combination with igasuric acid. Brucine occurs in rectangular octohedral crystals; it is soluble in alcohol, in 7 parts of chloroform, and possesses a bitter taste. With sulphuric and nitric acids a beautiful blood-red color is developed. There are also: 4. Igasuric acid with which strychnine and brucine are combined. 5. Loganin, an inert glucoside occurring in colorless prisms.
Dose.—Of the ground seeds, horses and cattle, 1 to 2 dr.; sheep, 20 to 40 gr.; pigs, 10 to 20 gr.; dogs, 1 to 2 gr.
PREPARATIONS
EXTRACTUM NUCIS VOMICAE—EXTRACT OF NUX VOMICA
Made by maceration with alcohol, water and acetic acid; percolation with alcohol and water and evaporation. Standardized to contain 5 per cent of strychnine.
Dose.—Horses and cattle, 5 to 15 gr.; sheep, 2 to 5 gr.; pigs, 1 to 2 gr.; dogs, 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 gr.
FLUIDEXTRACTUM NUCIS VOMICAE—FLUIDEXTRACT OF NUX VOMICA
Made by digestion and percolation with alcohol and water and acetic acid. The alcohol is distilled off and the solution evaporated. Alcohol and water are added so that the fluid extract shall contain one per cent of strychnine.
Dose.—Horses and cattle, 1 to 2 dr.; sheep, 20 to 30 m.; pigs, 10 to 20 m.; dogs, 1 to 2 m.