426 



ASCLEPIADE^ 



vessels, containing the dry milk juice ^ as a brownish granular substance 

 not soluble in potash. 



The microscopic characters of the root-bark of G. gigantea agree 

 with those here detailed of (7. procera. The stems of Calotropis 

 are distinguished by strong liber fibres, which are not met with in 

 the roots. 



Chemical Com 



By 



following the 



^ — ^.^.. ^j ^w^xv^TYa.x.^ ...^ process of Duncan 



above alluded to, 200 grammes of the powered bark of C. gigantea yielded 

 us nothing like his Miidarine, but 2-4 grammes of an acrid resin, 



soluble 



well as in' alcohol. The latter solution reddens 



litmus ; the former on evaporation yields the resin as an almost colour- 

 less mass. If the aqueous liquid is separated from the crude resin, and 

 much absolute alcohol added, an abundant precipitate of mucilage is 

 obtained. ^ The liquid now contains a bitter principle, which after due 

 concentration may be separated by means of tannic acid. 



We obtained similar results by exhausting the bark of G. procera 

 with dilute alcohol. The tannic compound of the bitter principle was 

 mixed with carbonate of lead, dried and boiled with spirit of wine. 

 This after evaporation furnished an amorphous, very bitter mass, not 

 soluble in water, but readily so in absolute alcohol. The solution is 

 not precipitated by an alcoholic solution of acetate of lead. By purify- 

 mg the bitter principle with chloroform or ether, it is at last obtained 



This bitter matter is probably the active principle of 



colourless. 

 Calotropis ; 



ascei 



of the usual tests tliat no 



skin c 



•^•-^.^^.yj^^o , „c cwi^ci taiiiuu uy means or tne usual lesis i>im^ "" 

 alkaloid occurs in the drug. The large juicy stem, especially that of 

 G. gigantea, ought to be submitted to an accurate chemical and thera- 

 peutical examination.^ 



Uses— Mudar is an alterative, tonic and diaphoretic,— in large 

 doses emetic. By the natives of India, who employ it in venereal and 

 ^..... .omplaints, almost all parts of the plant arc used. According to 



Moodeen Sheriff,^ the bark of the root and the dried milky juice are 

 the most efficient; the latter is ho^vever somewhat irregular and unsafe 

 m its action. The same writer remarks that he has found that the 

 older the plant, the more active is the bark in its effects. He recom- 

 mends thai the corky outer coat, which is tasteless and inert, should be 

 scraped off before the bark is powdered for use : of a powder so 

 prepared, 40 to 50 grains suffice as an emetic. 



The stems of C. gigantea afford a very valuable fibre which can he 

 spun into the finest thread for sewing or weavino-." 



1 It is evidently with a view to the reten- 

 tion of this juice, that the Pharmacopma 

 of India orders the bark to be stripped 

 tr()ai the roota when the latter are half- 

 ilried. Moodeen Sheriff remarks of C 

 ff'S""'.""' tl^?t although it is frecinenti; 

 tho 1.? "ledicuie, no part of it is sold iu 



wiw !m * *¥ P^^"*^ '^ everywhere found 

 ^iW and can he coUected as required 



2 List's A sdepione (Gmelin's Chenustry, 

 xvii. 3G8) might then be sought for. _ 



3 Supplement to the Pharmacopmd oj 

 India, Madras, 1809. 364; for further in- 

 formation on tlie therapeutic uses of rnudar, 

 see also Pharm. of India, 458. , 



* Dmry, Useful Plants of India, 2na ca. 

 1873. 101. 



