Hydrastis Canadensis L

HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS L., hydrastis, yellow root, yellowroot, Canadian golden seal, a plant of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae); grows wild in North America; it is also cultivated there and in some other places (for example, in Bitsa, near Moscow). A herbaceous perennial plant with a thick, fleshy, yellow rhizome, from which numerous thin, long roots extend; the stem is 15-30 cm in height, vertical, simple, hairy, usually with two leaves—one of them is sessile at the top of the stem, the other is located lower. The flower is solitary, terminal, without a corolla, whitish or slightly pink in color; the fruit is a red fleshy berry with two seeds. In medicine, the rhizome (Ph. VII)—Rhizoma Hydrastis canadensis—is used, which is sold in the form of dried cylindrical, knotty, hard, yellowish-brown pieces, 3-5 cm long and 4-10 mm in diameter, yellow in fracture, bitter, slightly astringent in taste, with an aromatic odor. On the upper side of the rhizome are round or oval, depressed scars from dead stems. The depressions and yellow color of the fracture gave rise to the name of the plant—golden seal. The yellow juice of the rhizome was used by Indians for a long time for coloring the face and clothing, and from the rhizome they prepared infusions and decoctions used in dropsies, eye diseases, and bleeding. The medical use of H. c. began in the first half of the 19th century. In 1860, Hydrastis canadensis was included in the pharmacopoeia of the U.S.A., and in the Russian one—in 1891. The rhizome contains alkaloids—hydrastine, berberine, and canadine, as well as phytosterin, meconin, protein, sugar, fat, resin, and a small amount of fatty oil; the ash contains aluminum. Hydrastine (Hydrastinum) in the rhizome and roots—1.5-4%, in the stems and leaves—about 0.3%; Ph. VII requires in the rhizome - 2.5%. Hydrastine crystallizes in three-sided shiny prisms, melts at t° + 132°; is almost insoluble in water, in alcohol 1 hr.—in 120 parts, in ether—in 83 parts, in benzene—in 15 parts, in chloroform—in 2 parts. A solution of hydrastine in diluted HCl is dextrorotatory. Hydrochloric hydrastine-C₂₁H₂₁NO₆·HCl - a white crystalline powder, easily soluble in water; in small doses (0.001 per kg) it excites the spinal cord, increases reflexes, causes convulsions that pass from clonic to tetanic, especially strong in the respiratory muscles (Slavatinsky). Breathing first becomes more frequent, then slows down, the vessels narrow due to the excitation of the vasomotor center by hydrastine, as well as the nerves of the vascular walls themselves, blood pressure rises. The excitation of the centers of the nn. vagi, caused mainly by an increase in blood pressure, affects the heart, which contracts more slowly and strongly. Peristalsis of the intestines is enhanced, the secretion of saliva and bile is more abundant, the pupil first narrows, then dilates, the uterus contracts either due to irritation of the centers in the spinal cord or, more likely (Sertsev, Zhivopisitsev), as a result of the vasoconstrictive action of hydrastine. Felner (Fellner) recognizes the direct action of hydrastine on the uterine muscle. Medium (0.002-0.005 per kg) and large (0.01-0.04) doses of hydrastine reduce pain sensitivity, depress and paralyze the vasomotor center, vascular ganglia, spinal cord, vagus nerves, and cardiac ganglia. Death occurs from paralysis of the heart. Hydrastine, when administered intravenously and subcutaneously, is excreted unchanged and completely (Marfori) with urine, and when taken orally, it is also excreted with feces, apparently due to incomplete absorption in the gastrointestinal tract; there is no hydrastine in the bile. Hydrastine, easily oxidizing, turns into hydrastinine and opianic acid: C₂₁H₂₁NO₆ + H₂O + O=C₂₁H₁₉NO₅ + C₆H₁₂O₆. This gives the right to assume that from hydrastine (contrary to the opinion of Marfori) hydrastinine is formed in the body (Binz), whose action, along with hydrastine and berberine, H. c. owes its therapeutic application. Hydrastinine (C₂₁H₂₁NO₅) - a colorless crystalline powder, melts at t° 116-117°, is little soluble in water, petroleum ether, easily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, and in diluted acids; forms salts with acids, aqueous solutions of which strongly fluoresce with a bluish-green color. Hydrochloric hydrastinine (C₂₁H₂₁NO₅Cl) - crystalline, slightly yellowish powder, bitter in taste, easily soluble in water and alcohol, difficult to dissolve in ether and chloroform, melts at a temperature of 210-212°. It is obtained from hydrastine by decomposition with nitric acid upon heating (Will, Freund), from berberine (Freund), narcotine and cotarnine, as well as synthetically - from amidoacetaldehyde and piperonal (according to Fritsch) and from homopiperonylamine [according to Decker or Rosenmund (E. Schmidt)]. Small (up to 0.005 per kg) and medium (up to 0.04 per kg) doses of hydrastinine do not noticeably affect the cardiac activity in warm-blooded animals, blood pressure rises due to vasoconstriction from irritation of the vasomotor center (Kravkov). Bunge notes dilation of renal vessels at any dose of hydrastinine and explains its diuretic action by this. From medium and large doses of hydrastinine, the vessels of the intestine dilate and peristalsis is enhanced, the contraction of the uterine muscles increases, the height of the wave of muscle contractions increases, the contractions become longer, the intervals between contractions shorten, and the muscle tone increases. These changes do not depend on the state of the uterine vessels and are most likely explained by the action of hydrastinine on the neuromuscular apparatus of the uterus itself (Kurdinovsky), which reacts especially sensitively if the uterus is pregnant or has just given birth; the virgin uterus is less sensitive. Small and medium doses of hydrastinine significantly reduce the excitability of the cerebral cortex (Kiselev). Lethal doses (0.3-0.4 per kg) cause depression, shortness of breath, pallor of the mucous membranes and skin, decreased pain sensitivity, disturbance of movement, beginning with the hind limbs and ending with general paralysis; at first - vasoconstriction, increased blood pressure, slowing of heartbeats, and then - vasodilation, falling blood pressure, paralysis of nn. vagi and increased heart rate. Death occurs from paralysis of respiration, heartbeats stop a few minutes after breathing stops, urination decreases, and anuria may occur (Arkhangelsky). Hydrastinine stops convulsions from strychnine. It has cumulative properties, which is expressed by some symptoms of intoxication - depression, immobility, lack of appetite, general weakness. The larger part of hydrastinine is excreted from the body through the kidneys, and the rest - through the intestines, liver, and saliva. - Berberine, by stimulating the respiratory center in small and moderate doses, causes an increase and deepening of breathing and, thus, can correct the depressing effect of H. c. preparations on hydrastine and hydrastinine. - Canadine, without affecting the uterus, causes significant peristalsis of the intestines. The therapeutic use of H. c. is indicated in various cases of bleeding—pulmonary, gastric, intestinal, nasal, hemorrhoidal, etc., especially uterine, when stopping bleeding can be achieved mainly by constricting the vessels of the uterus, for example, in bleeding myomas, metritis, abundant menstrual, endometrial, climacteric, etc. bleeding. The most successful results are obtained if H. c. is started to be given 3-4-7 days before the expected menstruation. By causing contraction of the uterine muscles and thus also helping to stop bleeding, H. c. does not have an ecbolic effect, but still should not be used during pregnancy to avoid miscarriage. Unpleasant side effects at therapeutic doses of H. c. are usually never observed. In other cases, preparations of H. c. could be used as a bitter as a tonic, in catarrhal conditions of the digestive and respiratory organs and eyes, as an antipyretic, similar to quinine, in infectious diseases, for gargling, in skin diseases (in ointments, etc.), but the high price of H. c. sharply reduces the prescription of this useful remedy, and only in America, the homeland of H. c., can its wider application be seen. - Preparations of H. c: Extr. Hydrastis canadensis fluidum (Ph. VII), 15-20 drops per dose, up to 60-80 per day; due to the bitter taste, it is appropriate with a corrigens, for example, Sir. Cinnamomi, or in gelatin capsules or in pills; for pills, Extr. Hydr. canad. siccum is more suitable, 0.02-0.05 per pill, 4-2 pills per dose, 3 times a day; Tinctura H. c. has gone out of use. Hydrastine and its salts are not used in therapy. Hydrochloric hydrastinine with the highest dose—0.05 per dose and 0.15 per day (German Ph. VI), orally in powders, in capsules, in pills of 0.01-0.03, three times a day, and subcutaneously in a 10% solution, 0.03-0.05 daily. Very expensive.