Soviet Medical Encyclopedia

Pasque Flower

Pharmacology, Toxicology

Also known as: Vetrenitsa, Pulsatilla vulgaris

Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.

Summary

This 1930s encyclopedia article describes Pulsatilla vulgaris, a herbaceous plant of the Ranunculaceae family found in sandy soils across Europe. It details the plant's toxicity, its use in folk medicine for childhood insomnia and fever, and its active principles including anemone camphor and anemonin.

Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)

PASQUE FLOWER, Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill., family Ranunculaceae, a herbaceous plant of sandy places in most of Europe. Leaves basal, triple-pinnately divided. Flower erect, perianth has 6 violet segments. Blooms in spring. Poisonous. In folk medicine, it is used for insomnia in children and for fever. The active principle of the pasque flower is the poorly studied anemone camphor (in the fresh plant), which transforms into anemonin C10H8O4 and isoanemonic acid, C10H10O6.

Cite this page

“Pasque Flower.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/pasque-flower/