The dried ripe seeds of Strychnos nux vomica, yielding when assayed by the process given below, not less than 1.25 per cent of strychnine.

Habitat.—The tree is a native of the East Indies, growing in Bengal, Malabar, on the Coromandel Coast, in Ceylon, in many islands of the Indian Archipelago, in Cochin-China and in other neighboring countries.

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.

TINCTURA NUCIS VOMICAE—TINCTURE OF NUX VOMICA

Made by solution of the extract of nux vomica, 20 in alcohol, and water to make 1000. Standardized to contain 0.1 per cent strychnine.

STRYCHNINA—STRYCHNINE

An alkaloid obtained from nux vomica, and also obtainable from other plants of the natural order Loganiaceae.

Derivation.—Nux vomica seeds are powdered and strychnine is extracted with water acidulated with hydrochloric acid. The solution is concentrated and strychnine precipitated with lime. It is then redissolved in boiling alcohol and the crystals are deposited upon concentration of the solution.

Properties.—Colorless, transparent, prismatic crystals, or a white crystalline powder; odorless, having an intensely bitter taste, perceptible even in solutions of 1 in 700,000. Strychnine should be tasted with extreme caution. Permanent in the air, soluble in water, alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzine and amyl alcohol.

Dose.—Same as strychnine sulphate.

STRYCHNINAE SULPHAS—STRYCHNINE SULPHATE

Made by the action of sulphuric acid on strychnine.

Properties.—Colorless or white, prismatic crystals, odorless and having an intensely bitter taste. Efflorescent in dry air. Soluble in water and alcohol. Almost soluble in ether.

Dose.—Horses, ¹/₂ to 1¹/₂ gr.; cattle, 1 to 3 gr.; sheep, ¹/₄ to ¹/₂ gr.; dogs, ¹/₁₂₀ to ¹/₄₀ gr. The small doses are to be used when strychnine is given subcutaneously.

Actions.—Nerve tonic, stomach tonic, stimulates respiration, secretion, appetite and digestion; it increases peristalsis, stimulates both the motor and inhibitory apparatus of the heart, and raises arterial tension by stimulating the vaso-motor centers, thus contracting the arterioles, though full doses relax the arterioles and thus lower blood pressure.

Strychnine exalts all functions of the spinal cord, reflex, motor, vaso-motor and sensory, the latter being the least affected; it does not affect the brain directly.

Toxicology.—Large doses cause trembling and twitching of the voluntary and involuntary muscles with violent clonic spasms, lasting one or two minutes, gradually getting more frequent and severe in form involving the glottis, diaphragm and other muscles of respiration; causes death usually from asphyxia. Very large doses may paralyze the cord as from a blow, and cause almost instant death.

Uses.—Nux vomica or strychnine is indicated in any condition in which there is a paralysis or depressed state of the nerves or nervous system; atonic dyspepsia, broken wind, relaxed condition of the bowels due to lack of tone, in small doses.

In weak condition of the heart give with small doses of digitalis; it stimulates sexual organs. Give it in convalescence from debilitating diseases, also as an aid to recovery during their progress; in collapse and for narcotic poisoning strychnine hypodermically in paralysis, whether of limbs, intestines or bladder.

In diarrhoea, due to lack of tone of muscular coat of the bowels combined with astringents; for anaemia, strychnine combined with iron and quinine; nervous coughs use strychnine with sedatives; also in incontinuence of urine and chorea, in dogs after distemper.

Antidote for Strychnine Poisoning.—Tannic acid or vegetables containing it should be freely administered, for the tannate of strychnine which is formed is very insoluble; an emetic or the stomach pump must be used promptly. The tetanic spasms are best controlled by chloral hydrate or very large doses of potassium bromide (2 dr. to ¹/₂ oz. for man) or 4 to 8 ounces for the horse as antidote for strychnine poisoning. Inhalations of ether are also recommended. Chloral hydrate may be used per rectum or intravenously. Inhalations of amyl nitrate are also of value. The administration of melted lard seems to exert peculiar antidotal properties to strychnine poisoning. As an emetic for dogs apomorphinae hydrochloras ¹/₂₀ to ¹/₅ grain, given hypodermically, is the best and may have to be pushed as emetics act tardily in poisoning by this drug.