RADIX ABRL ISO 



not always well marked. As it is often mixed in the Indian bazaars 

 with true liquorice, he thinks the latter may have sometimes been 

 mistaken for it. 



Microscopic Structure — On a transverse section the bark ex- 

 hibits some layers of cork cells, loaded with brown colouring matter, 

 and then, within the middle zone of the bark, a comparatively thick 

 layer of sclerenchymatous tissue. Strong liber fibres are scattered 

 through the interior of the cortical tissue, but are not distributed so as 

 to form wedge-shaped rays as met with in liquorice. In the latter the 

 sclerenchyme (thick-walled cells) is wanting. These differences are 

 sufficient to distinguish the two roots. 



Chemical Composition — The concentrated aqueous infusion of the 

 root of Abrus has a dark brown colour and a somewhat acrid taste 

 accompanied by a faint SAveetness. When it is mixed w^ith an alkaline 

 solution of tartrate of copper, red cuprous oxide is deposited after a 

 short time : hence we may infer that the root contains sugar One drop 

 of hydrochloric or other mineral acid mixed with the infusion produces 

 a very abundant flocculent precipitate, which is soluble in alcohol. If 

 the infusion of Abrus root is mixed Avith a very little acetic acid, an 

 abundant precipitate is likewise obtained, but is dissolved by an excess. 

 This behaviour is similar to that of glycyrrhizin (see p. ISl). 



Berzehus observed, so lon^x ao-o as 1827, that the leaves of Abrus 

 contain a sweet principle similar to that of liquonee. 



Uses— The root has been used in the place of liquorice, for which 

 it IS in our opinion a very bad substitute. 



SET^ MUCUNiE. 



^^"Uchiimhes vel setoi ; Cowhmje, Coiv-itch' ; F. Pois a groiier, Pois 



poiiAUieux ; G. Juckhorsten. 



Botanical Origin— Mucima priiriens DC. {Dolkhos pruriensL., 

 ^imlohimn prurkns Pers., Mucuna jjrurita Hook.), a lofty climbing 

 plants with large, dark purple papilionaceous flowers, and downy 

 legumes in si^u o,->.i o-k„ ^4- „„i:i.^o +i.r.cA nf n. sweet nea, common 



of a sweet pea, common 

 India and America. 



egumes in size and shape not unlike those 

 ^nroughout the tropical regions of both Africa, 



History— The earliest notice ^xe have found of this plant is that of 

 Parkinson, whr, i„ \.;„ t;..,.^.„ ^r P7.,,>/.. T^nWkhfid in 1640, names it 



son, who 

 fmseol us s 



of 

 H 



L^urat] where it groweth, Couliage:' It was subsequently described by 

 % (1686), who saw the plant raised from West Indian seeds, in he 

 f^Y ^^ t^^e Hatton family in Holborn.' Bheede figured it in the 

 f?'^^<-s Malaharicus; and it was also known to Rumphius and the 

 J^h^i' older botanists. We find it even in the pharmaceutical tariff" of 

 ' county of Niirnberg, a.d. 1714.^ 



i^PpSdl^'^I!'^' *"'^ tl''^ fallowing are also ^ ^^'■'^- ^'^:'.!'*;i-T\ ^ ok ,„h noni 



S ^^' *»*^'-'^ P°'^«. or e^eu to the "Tom. viii. (1-00) tal>. 3^ sub mm. 



Kai Co ran a. 



"'«. part 1.3 (187(5). ' Pharmaclc, Halle, 18/0. 84. 



