Scammonin
Encyclopedia
Scammonin, Jalapin or Scammonium is a glucoside
derived naturally from the stems of the Jalap
plant, and from Scammony
. It is used in medicine as a strong cathartic
.
Glucoside
A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes....
derived naturally from the stems of the Jalap
Jalap
Jalap is a cathartic drug consisting of the tuberous roots of Ipomoea purga, a convolvulaceous plant growing on the eastern declivities of the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico at an elevation of 5000 to 8000 ft...
plant, and from Scammony
Scammony
Scammony is a bindweed native to the countries of the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin; it grows in bushy waste places, from Syria in the south to the Crimea in the north, its range extending westward to the Greek islands, but not to northern Africa or Italy.It is a twining perennial,...
. It is used in medicine as a strong cathartic
Cathartic
In medicine, a cathartic is a substance that accelerates defecation. This is in contrast to a laxative, which is a substance which eases defecation, usually by softening feces. It is possible for a substance to be both a laxative and a cathartic...
.