Galega. European Goat's Rue, Goat's Rue. Galega officinalis.
Galega. N. F. IV. European Goat's Rue. Goat's Rue. Herba Rutae Caprarice. Rue de Chevre, Fr. Geisraute, Pestilenzkraut, G.—Galega was made official in National Formulary IV and thus defined: "The dried flowering tops of Galega officinalis Linne (Fam. Leguminosae)." This is a perennial leguminous herb, growing in the south of Europe, and sometimes cultivated in gardens. It is without odor unless bruised, when it emits a disagreeable odor. The N. F. describes it as follows: "Stem smooth, erect, branched, when entire from 15 to 45 cm. in length, commonly cut and broken; leaves oddly-pinnate with from six to eight pairs of leaflets; stipules lanceolate, sagitate on one side; leaflets bright green, smooth or slightly hairy, short petioled, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, slightly mucronate, from 2 to 5 cm. in length and from 2 to 6 mm. in breadth; flowers small, white to violet, in axillary racemes. Odor indistinct, taste mucilaginous, slightly bitter and astringent; it colors the saliva yellowish-green. Galega yields not more than 12 per cent. of ash." N. F. It contains a bitter principle and tannin. In former times it was much employed in malignant fevers, the plague, the bites of serpents, worms, etc. In 1873 Gillet-Damitte, in a communication to the French Academy, stated that this plant when fed to cows would increase the secretion of milk from 35 to 50 per cent.; since which time Cerisoli, Goubeaux, Mas son d'Aury, Millbank, and Carron de la Carriere have affirmed that goat's rue is a powerful galactagogue. The best preparation appears to be an aqueous extract prepared from the fresh plant. This almost black extract has a pronounced odor, and may be given in doses of from eight to fifteen grains (0.5-1.0 Gm.), from three to five times a day.
Fluidextract of Galega is official in the National Formulary IV. It is made with a menstruum of diluted alcohol. Dose, sixty minims (3.75 mils). The root of the indigenous Tephrosia virginiana, (L.) Pers. (Galega virginiana L.) is said to be diaphoretic and powerfully anthelmintic. It is given in decoction.
