Veratrum (redirected from Veratum)

Veratrum

[vərā′trəm]

Etymology: L, hellebore

a genus of poisonous herbs of the lily family. The dried rhizomes of the British and American hellebore provide alkaloids that are used as antihypertensive agents.

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Veratrum

a genus of the Liliaceae family of plants.

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Veratrum album

contain alkaloids including protoveratrine, jervine, rubijervine, pseudojervine, veratroidine, veratralbine. Several alkaloids are extracted and used in therapeutic preparations. Poisoning by these plants causes salivation, purgation, vomiting, diuresis, excitability followed by paralysis and recumbency, then convulsions and death. Called also white hellebore, white veratrum, European veratrum.

Veratrum californicum

a poisonous weed which causes a number of congenital abnormalities especially congenital cyclopean deformity, prolonged gestation and absence of the pituitary gland in ruminants. The teratogen is cyclopamine. Called also skunk cabbage, western hellebore, false hellebore, corn-lily.

Veratrum viride

several alkaloid extracts are combined in the preparation alkavir, used as a rumenatoric and a hypotensive agent. Called also green veratrum, green hellebore, American hellebore.