ALOES. — The preparations of aloes employed in the States are ob tained from two varieties: the Ala Bar badensis, or Vera, and the Ala Socotrina. The former is the inspissated juice of the Barbadoes, or Curacoa, aloes and oc curs in orange-brown, opaque. resin-like masses that give off an odor of saffron, and are extremely bitter to the taste. The Socotrine aloes is the inspissated juice of the Aloe Perryi. It varies in color from a yellowish brown to an opaque, reddish brown and also occurs in resinous masses and emits the same saffron-like ordor and is as bitter to the taste.
1. Curacoa aloes are as efficient as and, being much cheaper, should be preferred to Socotrine aloes; the greater portion of the latter as sold to-day is made up of the former. 2. The resin of aloes is an ether or organic salt, and varies ac cording to the kind of aloes and the varying constituents of the acid, the al coholic constituent being aloresinotannol, and being the same in both Barbadoes and Cape aloes: the only specimens thus far examined. 3. Aloin contains emodin, to which its laxative properties are prob ably due. 4. Many laxative drugs beside aloes—such as senna, cascara sagrada, rhubarb, buckthorn-bark—owe their lax ative property to this substance, emodin, or some substance like it, derived from anthraquinone, and homologous or iso meric with it. A. R. L. Dohme (Amer. Jour. of Pharm., No. 8, '08).
Dose.—Both varieties of aloes may be given in doses of from 1 to 5 grains as a laxative, and 10 grains as a purgative. The purified aloes (aloes purificala) of the U. S. P. should invariably be pre scribed, since the commercial aloes con tains impurities. The other official prep arations of aloes are the following:— Aqueous extract of aloes. Dose, V, to 5 grains.
Pill of aloes containing 2 grains of the purified aloes.
Pill of aloes and asafoetida, containing grains of each drug to the pill.
Pill of aloes and iron, containing puri fied aloes, sulphate of iron, and aromatic powder, 1 grain of each to the pill.
Pill of aloes and mastic (Lady Webster pill), containing 2 grains of purified aloes and V, grain each of mastic and red rose.
Pill of aloes and myrrh, containing 2 grains of purified aloes, 1 grain of myrrh, and grain of aromatic powder per pill.
Tincture of aloes and myrrh, contain ing 10 per cent. purified aloes. Dose, 1 to 2 drachms.
Tincture of aloes, containing, also, 10 per cent. of purified aloes. Dose, 1 to 2 drachms.
Aloes acts slowly; it can, therefore, be given at bed-time and ifs effects be counted on for the next morning. It
tends to cause griping; a carminative or therefore, be simultaneously adminis tered. The pill of aloes and myrrh of the U. S. P. is intended to avoid this untoward effect of aloes.
Applied to a wound in the form of powder aloes exercises its laxative action. It also acts upon a nursing infant when given to the mother.
Aloin.
Aloin is the active principle of aloes. The drug extracted from the Barbadoes aloes is identical with that taken from the species of Curagoa and Natal. Aloin occur's in yellowish-white, acicular crys tals, is soluble in hot water and alcohol, much less so in acetic ether, and spar ingly soluble in chloroform, ether, and benzol.
Dose.—The dose of aloin is from grain to 2 grains.
Physiological Action. — The main ef fect of aloes is upon the large intestine, but it is likewise a cholagogue, actively promoting the flow of bile. These effects, combined, cause increase of the peristal tic action of the bowel. Aloes causes engorgement of the htemorrhoidal blood vessels and thus tends to render haemor rhoids painful at the time it is used, if any be present. The other pelvic organs —the uterus and appendages—are also congested. Hence, pregnant women should use aloes most carefully, if at all.
The active principle, aloin, acts as a powerful purgative when given by the mouth or subcutaneously. Natal aloin acts in cats and dogs only after very large quantities, but the effects are promptly produced when an alkali is added to the drug in order to decompose it. In man fed on meat exclusively aloin is very active, but not so in persons subjected to a mixed diet. Aloin in itself, there fore, has little or no purgative properties, and, in order to produce its characteristic effects, it must undergo decomposition in the intestines and a new and more active substance be formed. The slowness of its action is thus explained. (Meyer.) Therapeutics.—It is, of course, in con stipation that aloes is especially used. It is indicated when there is intestinal atony, but when its administration is prolonged it tends to aggravate the condition it is intended to counteract. Aloin possesses two advantages over aloes, namely: smaller doses and com paratively slight tendency to induce ir ritation in normal doses. It is usually combined with extract of belladonna and nux vomica or strychnine in small doses. An active laxative pill is thus obtained, which tends to counteract constipation without overtaxing the normal functions of the intestine.