THE INDIANS' HERBAL ANSWER TO THE PILL

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The relative abundance of Lithospermic Acid in the various parts of the plant is as follows: The flowers and seeds contain the maximum concentration; the roots are second and the leaves third; the stems contain very little. The plant tops maintain a more or less constant amount of activity over the growing season; in the roots, the concentration is at its lowest in June and at its highest in September (apparently when the active principle leaves the root the plant begins to grow).

There are six species of Lithospermum and all showed marked antigonadotropic activity. Extracts of Lithospermum latifolium, L. croceum and L. ruderale are active at less than 1 mg. dose levels. A test of the root L. ruderale after three years storage showed that the active principle was still highly effective. There is no appreciable difference in activity between fresh and dried root extracts. The activity of the root extract, however, rapidly deteriorates.

For those interested in finding this plant, it grows on the high, dry slopes and plains from Placer to Modoc counties in California.

In testing other plants during the early laboratory examination of Lithospermum it was found that two others had a comparable amount of activity: the common Borage (Borago officinalis) which belongs to the same family as Lithospermum, and the leaves of a common Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), the dried plant being better than the fresh. The Raspberry proved inactive, however, which is too bad, as you could then enjoy the fruit and gain its side benefits at the same time.

- San Diego FREE DOOR

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