A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

drasticus,-a,-um (adj.A): = Gk. drastikos,-E,-on (Gk. adj.) “represenitng attack (in a war-dance); efficient (cause); of river fish, of persons; active (opp. passive); as a medical term, drastic (Liddell & Scott).

drastic (Eng.adj.): “acting rapidly and violently – used chiefly of purgatives; acting with violence or harshness: extreme or radical in effect: rigorous; notably severe or vigorous” (WIII).

Drastic (Eng. noun) a powerful medicinal agent, esp. a strong purgative (WIII).

“Jatropha curcas, the physic nut, is nutritioous in small amounts but can be a drastic purgative. Euphorbiaceae” (Stearn 1996).

Anisomeria drastica; Curcas drastica, the “physic nut, purging nut, poison nut”; Euphorbia drastica, a plant with powerful purgative properties; Himatanthus drasticus, a plant with powerful pharmacological properties; Luffa drastica; Millettia drastica; Phytolacca drastica,a plant with strong purgative properties; Plumeri drastica.