Cathartic acid

Picrorhiza kurroa Royle. Hu Huang Lain (root) Cathartic acid, picrorhizin, kurrin, aglycone, kutkin, vanillic acid.49 450 Antipyretic, stomachic. 

The root contains an active bitter principle called picrorrhizin (15%) as well as cathartic acid, glucose and wax. Additionally, kutkin, apocynin, picroside I, II and III as well as kutkoside have been identified [44]. 

These alkaloids include the substituted pyridone ricinine [524-40-3] (53), CgHgN202, which is easily isolated in high yield as the only alkaloid from the castor bean (Ricinus communis L.). The castor bean is also the source of castor oil (qv), which is obtained by pressing the castor bean and, rich in fatty acids, has served as a gentie cathartic. 

Cascara sagrada is used as a cathartic. It is most useful when prepared as a fluid extract, and tends to be a mild laxative causing Htfle discomfort. However, on prolonged use it may result in characteristic melanotic pigmentation of the rectal mucosa. The bitter taste can be lessened, owing to neutralization of the acid constituents, if the ground substance is moistened and mixed with magnesium or calcium hydroxide. This treatment may lessen the potency of the preparation. 

Castor oil is a cathartic only after Hpolysis in the small intestine Hberating ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid inhibits the absorption of water and electrolytes. It is commonly used for preparation of the large bowel for diagnostic procedures. 

Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate may be prepared by neutralization of sulfuric acid with magnesium carbonate or oxide, or it can be obtained directly from natural sources. It occurs abundantly as a double salt and can also be obtained from the magnesium salts that occur in brines used for the extraction of bromine (qv). The brine is treated with calcium hydroxide to precipitate magnesium hydroxide. Sulfur dioxide and air are passed through the suspension to yield magnesium sulfate (see Chemicals frombrine). Magnesium sulfate is a saline cathartic. 

Katechu, n. catechu, cashoo. -braun. n. catechu brown, catechu, cutch (the color), -gerb-sSure,/. catechutannic acid, -saure,/. catechuic acid (catechol), kathartisch. a. cathartic. 

Only ripe elderberries of edible species should be used. The unripe berries, as well as leaves, stems, young bark and roots, contain the glycoside d-sambunigrin which can produce hydrocyanic acid. This can have a cathartic activity and may even result in numbness and dizziness. The remedy is to give plenty of fluids. 

Both dietary and endogenous ammoniagenic substrates are removed from the intestinal lumen by the osmotic cathartic action of nonabsorbable disaccharides such as lactulose and lactitol. These compounds are currently the main therapeutic agents for chronic HE. The efficacy of oral lactulose for the treatment of HE has been established in controlled trials [41-43]. Besides having a cathartic effect, lactulose lowers the colonic pH as a result of the production of organic acids by bacterial fermentation. The decrease in pH creates an environment that is hostile to the survival of urease-producing intestinal bac-... 

Ricinus communis L. Bi Ma Zi (Castor bean) (seed) Ricinine, ricinolein, olein acid, stearin acid, isoricinoleic acid, cytochrome C, castor oil.33-427-450 Cathartic, tumor inhibition. 

N.A. Aloin isobarbaloin, aloeresin A, B, aloesin glycone, aloesone, emodin, chrysophanic acid, 1,8-dihydroxy-anthracene derivatives, barbaloin, anthaquinone glycosides.99-100 108 109 510-511 Purgative, eupeptic, and cholagogue effect. It is a laxative and cathartic. Juice from leaves used for cuts and other skin problems. 

N.A. Cinnamic acid, gallic acid, emodin, rhein, rhein anthrones, catechin, anthraquinone compounds, tannin, calcium oxalate.99-100-107-510-511 Treat diarrhea, stimulate appetite, chronic constipation, laxative, cathartic. 

Ricinus communis L. China Ricinine, ricinolein, olein, stearin, isoricinoleic acid, cytochrome C.33 Cathartic. 

The Resin of Scammony, obtained by evaporating its ethereal solution, is transparent, and of a brown tint, but may be decolored by animal charcoal. Its alcoholic solution is feebly acid, and water throws down from it the resin in the stete of hydrate. According to Johnston, it is remarkable as contenting more oxygen than any other resin hitherto analyzed. It is a powerful cathartic. 

This contains a considerable quantity of tannic acid as well as cathartic principles. The astringent action predominates with smaller doses (0.05 to 0.01 g), and these are used as astringent bitters in gastric catarrh and in diarrhea. Larger doses (1 to 5 g) are laxative with little colic. They may be employed in chronic constipation, but the astringent action makes it inferior to cascara. It may cause skin eruptions. 

This consists mainly of the triglyceride of an unsaturated fatty acid, ricinoleic acid. The neutral fat is not active but becomes so when it is saponified in the intestine. The cathartic effect is due mainly to motor stimulation of the small intestine. The intestinal secretion is not increased, the fluid character of the stools being due to the quicker passage of the feces. 

Phenolphthalein is thought to exert its effect by inhibiting the movement of water and sodium from the colon into the blood and by stimulating mucus secretion. If misused on a prolonged basis, a consequential loss of mucus may lower the plasma protein level. Caster oil is hydrolyzed to ricinoleic acid, the active cathartic. It has an onset of action of 2 to 6 h. 

Magnesium oxide suspended in water is Tised in medicine (as milk of magnesia ), for neutralizing excess acid in the stomach and as a laxative. Magnesium sulfate, Epsom salts, MgS0 7H20, is used as a cathartic. 

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