Pilulae Resinae Podophylli Compositae.—Compound Pills of Resin of Podophyllum.
Related entries: Resina Podophylli (U. S. P.)—Resin of Podophyllum - Podophyllum (U. S. P.)—Podophyllum
Preparation.—Take of resin of podophyllum, scammony, gamboge, each, in powder, 1 drachm; castile soap, ½ drachm. Triturate the powders thoroughly together for about half an hour, then add the soap. Mix, and beat the whole together until they are thoroughly incorporated. Divide the mass into 120 pills.
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—This is a most valuable pill for all diseases where cathartics are required, and has cured many cases of hepatic affections by a continued use of them. The dose is 1 or 2 pills every night. They have no tendency toward producing constipation, but rather the reverse, and, after using them for several days in succession, they will generally be found so active that it will be necessary to omit them for a number of days before resuming their administration. They may be safely used in all ordinary cases where purgation is desired; they operate freely and thoroughly, and usually without causing nausea, griping, or debility.
In consequence of the difficulty with which pure scammony is obtained in this country, many practitioners substitute for it, in these pills, extract of apocynum, or extract of rhubarb, or oleoresin of iris, either of which will probably be found preferable to an impure or counterfeit scammony (J. King). A very useful pill for saturnine constipation is the following: Take of resin of podophyllum, 6 grains; extract of nux vomica, 7 grains; extract of belladonna, 4 ½ grains. Mix, and divide into 10 pills. Dose, 2 or 3 pills a day, accompanied with sulphurous baths (Van den Corput).
