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1030 
they have yet to see a case in which they are certain that a cure has 
been effective by its use, and I found a few Filipinos who were sceptical 
as to its efficiency. One Filipino doctor stated that the only thing it was 
good for was to wean babies, the aqueous extract being applied to the 
nipple. Any one who has ever experienced the exceedingly bitter and 
persistent taste of this extract will not doubt its efficacy for this purpose. 
Very little is known about the chemistry of the plant. Fliickiger *° 
found in the stem of Tinospora cordifolia, a very closely related species, 
a small amount of berberin, and a bitter glucoside, which latter he 
considered to be the active principle of the plant. Other chemists have 
reported small amounts of berberin. 
I have examined a large quantity of the stems of macabuhay. ‘The 
air dry plants contain 67 per cent of water, and drying does not affect the 
bitter taste. Repeated boiling with water extracts all of the bitter 
principle. In most of the plants which I have examined no alkaloid 
could be found either in the aqueous extract or in that obtained by the 
use of dilute acids; however, in a few instances a trace was present but 
this did not give the tests for berberine according to the method of 
Gordin,*® although a rose color was obtained with chlorine water. Dr. 
Clover, of this Bureau, in making a preliminary study of this plant, also 
found no alkaloid. 
Substances which, after being boiled with acids, reduce Fehling’s solu- 
tion were also present. Such bodies were obtained in various ways, but 
always in an amorphous and resin-like condition. As these compounds 
in every case proved to be physiologically inactive on guinea pigs, even 
when used in enormous doses, and as even after persistent endeavor I 
failed to obtain them in a crystalline condition, it was not considered 
advisable to devote further time to this plant. 
To obtain data as to any possible poisonous substance in this plant, a 
very concentrated aqueous extract was prepared as follows: 
One hundred grams of crushed macabuhay was boiled with water for six hours. 
lt was then filtered and all liquids pressed from the residue in a hydraulic press. 
This removed practically all the bitter material from the plant. The extract so 
obtained was concentrated in vacuo to 20 cubie centimeters. Injections of 2 cubic 
centimeters of this extract were given to guinea pigs, both subcutaneously and 
intraperitoneally. No effect was noted. The action of this solution on amcebie 
was also studied, but these organisms lived and thrived as well in the extract as 
in the culture media. 
These experiments are in accord with tests made by Dr. Cushny at 
the University of Michigan on macabuhay material furnished him by 
Dr. P. L. Sherman, of this Bureau. He was unable to find any physio- 
logically active substances in the plant. 
” Ref. in Watts. Dict. Econ. Plants of Ind., 6, Part IV, 64. 
%® Arch, d. Pharm. (1902), 240, 146. 
nS 
