SEMEN IGNATII. 



481 



We have ascertained the correrino,s5 



according to their discoverers, are combined \Yith StrycJinic or Igasuric 

 Acid J Ludwig (1873), who prepared this body from the latter drug, 

 describes it as a yellowish-brown amorphous mass, having a strongly 

 acid reaction and a _sour astringent taste, and striking a dark green 

 with ferric salts. 



observations. 



Nux vomica dried at 100'' C. yielded us when burnt with soda-lime 

 1-822 per cent, of nitrogen, indicating about 11*3 per cent, of protein 

 substances. By boiling ether, we removed from the seeds 414 per cent. 

 of fat; Meyer^ found it to ^ield butyiic, capronic, caprylic, caprinicand 

 other acids of the series of the common fatty acids, and also one acid 

 richer in carbon than stearic acid. Nux vomica also contains mucilage 

 and sugar. The latter, which according to Rebling (1855) exists to the 

 extent of G per cent., reduces cupric oxide without the aid of heat, 

 A\ hen macerated in water, the seeds easily undergo lactic fermentation, 

 not however attended with decomposition of the alkaloids. The 

 stability of strychnine is remarkable, even after ten years of contact 

 with putrescent animal substances. 



Commerce — Large quantities of nux vomica are brought into the 



London market from British India.^ The export from Bombay in the 



year 1871-72 was 3341 cwt., all shipped to the United Kingdom.^ 



Madras in 1869-70 exported 4805 cwi ; and Calcutta in 1865-66, 2801 



cwt. The quantity imported into the United Kingdom in 1870' — 

 5534 cwt. 



Nux vomica is stated by Garnier (l c, page 429, note) to be largely 

 exported from Cambodja to China. 



^ Uses— Tincture and extract of nux vomica, and the alkaloid strych- 

 nine, are frequently administered as tonic remedies in a variety of 

 disorders. 



was 



SEMEN IGNATII, 



^aha Sanctilgnatii ; St Ignatius' Beans ; F. Fh'es de Samt-Ignace, 



Noix Igasur; G. IgnatiushohnenJ^ 



Botanical Origin— Strychnos Ignatli Bergius' {S. phili2^pensis 

 f lanco, Ignatiana ijhilipmnica Loureiro), a large climbing slm;b, grow- 

 ing m Bohol, Samar, and gebu, islands of the Bisaya group of the PliiliPj 

 pines, and accordin 

 introduced. The 



o 



m 



inflorescence 



^(ahresherichtder Chemie, 1875. 856. 

 We have seen 1136 packages offered in 

 a siiigle drug-sale (30 March 1871). 



^tatemeni of the Trade and Navination 

 oj Bombay for 1871-72. pt. ii. 62. 



5 S° ^'^ter returns are accessible. 



■Ris/ 1^ *'^'^ seeds arc known in the 



"'^^'^ "^"S^age by the names of paiu/a- 



inn ^Suason, canlara, mananaog, dan- 



'im,<:alalonga or igasur; in the "islands 



nrn 1 °i T'^ 9«^«' where tlie seeds are 

 Sr.n!"'' , ' ^^ *^'^* «f coyacoy, and by the 

 ^^amards of the Philippines as Pepita de 



""^« or Pepita de Catbalogan [Clain, 



Eemedios Faciles, Manila, 1857. p. 610). 

 The name St. Ignatius' Bean appbed to 

 them in Europe, is employed an South 

 America to designate the seeds of several 

 medicinal Cucurbitacece, as those of teuil- 

 lea trilobata L., Hypanihera Guaptva 

 Manso and Anisospcrma Pn^iforn Mjmso. 

 iJUnteria Medica, Stockholm, 1778. i. 

 146 —We omit citing the Linnean Jgnalia 

 amara, as it has been shown by Bentham 

 that the plant so named by the younger 

 Linna.His is Posoqueria longijfora Aubl. of 

 the order Euhiacecp, a native of Guiana. 



