Abstract
Although the use of veratrum viride, a combination of alkaloids from the rhizomes of the green hellebore, has for the most part been discontinued, the recent report of Bryant and Fleming 1 suggests that it may have some value as an adjunct to the treatment of eclampsia.
The predominant physiological effect of the drug in animals is central vagus stimulation resulting in a marked fall in pulse rate and blood pressure. Recently an effect on the peripheral vascular system was demonstrated by Willson and Smith. 2 They were able to produce a fall in blood pressure without change in pulse rate when the drug was given to vagotomized dogs. Likewise, an increased perfusion rate through the kidney, the isolated hind leg, and ear of rabbits occurred when the drug was added to the perfusion fluid.
Because information concerning the effects of the drug in the human being in so limited it seems necessary that a complete investigation of the action of veratrum viride on the the blood vascular system in the pregnant woman be made. This report concerns the preliminary results of the first of a number of such studies being carried out by us.
Method. The subjects were all prenatal patients confined to the hospital and at complete bed rest. On the morning of the test 200 cc of water were given by mouth every half hour starting at 7:00 A.M. until a total of 1800-2000 cc had been taken and urine specimens were taken by catheter at half hour intervals. The bladder was emptied completely each time. A control urea clearance was started at the end of one hour and the drug, Veratrone, a preparation of veratrum viride for parenteral use, was administered shortly after the completion of the initial test period.
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