The former is a pure crystalline glycoside, on hydrolysis producing scillaridin A together with the sugar scillabiose. Scillarin B is a mixture of glycosides. Pieces will readily absorb atmospheric moisture. Transverse surface shows a single row of promment vascular bundles near the concave edge and numerous small bundles scattered through the mesophyll. Many cells contain mucilage in which bundles of acicular raphides of calcium oxalate up to 1 mm long and 10-15 mm wide are embedded.
Outer cells contain sinistrin.
Epidermal cells polygonal, once or twice as long as they are broad with thick stratified outer wall, stomata rare, anomocytic and circular in outline about 50 mm in diameter. Vascular bundles collateral, scattcrcd in mesophyll, xylem vessels with spiral or annular thickening. Asthma with bronchitis. Dose 50-200 mg or by infusion. Dose 0.03-0.2 ml.