Lappa (Arctium lappa).
The root and seeds of Arctium Lappa, Linné (Nat. Ord. Compositae). Europe, Asia, and America. Dose, 5 to 60 grains.
Common Name: Burdock.
Principal Constituents.—The glucoside lappin, fixed oil, inulin, and an altered tannin called phlobaphene.
Preparations.—1. Specific Medicine Lappa. Dose, I to 60 drops.
2 . Tinctura Lappae Seminis, Tincture of Lappa Seeds. (Seed, 4 ounces; 75 per cent Alcohol, 16 fluidounces.) Dose, 1 to 60 drops.
Specific Indications.—Feeble cutaneous circulation; dry, scaly skin eruptions; aphthous ulcers; recurrent boils and styes; urinary irritation; psoriasis.
Action and Therapy.—Lappa is a potent but neglected alterative and diuretic. It relieves urinary and bronchial irritation, favors the elimination of waste material, and secondarily proves tonic. Lappa is especially valuable in psoriasis, crusta lactea, stubborn eczema, obstinate ulcers, and in catarrhal and aphthous ulcerations. It is one of the best of agents for recurrent boils and styes. Bronchial cough, with much irritation of the pulmonary tract, is relieved by it, and it is sometimes beneficial in dyspepsia due to irritation of the stomach in cachectic individuals. As it gently stimulates the kidneys and promotes waste it should be largely used in strumous and cachectic conditions, with tendency to dry, scaly, cutaneous eruption and low grades of cellular inflammation, with feeble circulation in the skin.
