JARORAN'DI. A name given in South America to several species of plants used as diaphoreties. The plants grow chiefly in Brazil, and are most known in the neighborhood of Per nambuco. Those recognized by the Pharmaeopeia of the United States are Pilocarpus ScManus and Piloearpus daborandi. When bruised the leaves are aroniatic, and taste somewhat bitter. The important constituents are a volatile oil and two alkaloids called pilocarpine and jaborine. The latter alkaloid somewhat resembles atropine in its action. An infusion of (lie leaves or a fluid extract or tincture may be given internally; or one of the salts may be administered with ,t hypodermic syringe. When an infusion of 90 grains of the dried leaves is swallowed, it pro duces in t he course of two or three minutes a Pushing of the face, and in the course of five or six minutes drops of sweat appear on the fore head. and soon afterwards on other parts of hotly and limbs. When sweating is established the face becomes pale. and a profuse secretion of saliva and nasal and bronehial mucus is poured out upon the mucous surface, and often there is an abundant secretion of tears. The salivation is often so profuse as to interfere with speech. The average duration of sweating is about one hour and a half, and the tempera ture usually falls 1° F. The average loss of fluid by sweating is nearly two pints, but the loss is said sometimes to be four quarts if the salivary and nnmcoims secretions are included. Sometimes. though rarely. sweating does not take place, but salivation is more frequently absent than sweat ing. When one of these is diminished the other is increased. Vomiting is a usual occurrence, hut the nausea is not great. The quantity of urine secreted during the sweating is diminished and is passed with h pain. I 'rea appears in the perspiration and saliva. The pulse is quickened at first and later slowed, and the arterial tension is increased. Larger doses later cause marked cardiac depression. The sight frequently be
comes dimmed—an effect attributed to the action of the drug on the muscles of accommodation belonging to the lens. (See EYE.) Jahorandi is an effective galactagogne, 'kr promoter of the lacteal secretion. The hypodermic injection of one-sixth or one-tifth of a grain of pilocarpine or the hydrochlorate produces much the same effects as the internal administration of the infusion of the leaves, but the action is more prompt as well as more lasting. With the hypo dermic injection sweating always takes place, and vomiting is less frequent. Applied locally to the eye it causes marked contraction of the pupil and diminution of intraocular tension. In general it may be said that the action of pilocarpine is antagonistie to that of atropine.
The medical uses of jahorandi are few, and it should be used internally only with caution, on account of its depressing action upon the heart. It has been employed to cause absorption of effusions into the serous cavities, either those of inflammatory origin, such as pleurisy, or those due to circulatory failure or insufficient action of the kidneys, such :is hydrothorax and dropsy. It may be said that other remedies may be found which are quite as efficacious and hod: the de pressing effect. In uremia and eclampsia it has been used, but Venkrum viride is now preferred. In eonjunetion with morphine it is employed as an antidote in atropine poisoning. Its chief use, however, is in glaucoma (q.v.). in which its local application to the eye causes diminution of the intraocula• tension. It is sometimes em ployed to break up adhesions of the iris by contracting the pupil. For this purpose it is alternated with atropine, which causes dilatation. It. is used internally and locally to cause a thieker and coarser growth of hair.