11. Antiscrophular (Dragendorff, 1898) 
12. Poisonous (von Martius, 1843; Brandl, 1895; Le Cointe, 1947; Webb, 
1948) 
13. Anti-inflammatory (Iyer et al., 1977) 
14. Narcotic (Caminhoa, 1871) 
15. Stimulates endocrine system (von Martius, 1843; Caminhoa, 1871; 
Brandl, 1895) 
16. Stimulates lymphatic system (von Martius, 1843) 
17. Lowers body temperature (Brandl, 1895) 
18. Increases blood pressure and respiration (de Almeida Costa, 1935) 
19. Produces parasthesia (Peckolt, 1909) 
20. Produces muscular tremors and cramps (Brandl, 1895; de Almeida 
Costa, 1935) 
21. Produces delirium, vertigo and clouded vision (Caminhoa, 1871) 
22. Activates peristalsis (Brandl, 1895) 
The leaves of Brunfelsia uniflora are also employed medici- 
nally but only in the fresh state (Peckolt, 1909). They are 
considered to be less active pharmacologically than the roots. 
The leaves are most commonly used as an antidote for snake- 
bite. A tincture is prepared and given in frequent doses to the 
victim, and a poultice of the leaves is placed directly on the 
wound to ‘‘draw out the poison’’. Poultices are also employed 
for skin disorders such as eczema and syphilitic ulcers. The 
bark and young shoots of manacd are considered resolvent 
and, in high doses, emetic (Pereira, 1929). By means of ether, a 
perfume is extracted from the fragrant flowers (Correa, 1909). 
The first systematic investigations of manaca root began 
about 1880, when the drug stirred some interest among 
chemists and pharmacologists in Germany and in the United 
States. In 1880, J. L. Erwin attempted to determine the general 
classes of constituents in the root. He failed, however, to find 
any compound which could account for its potent effects. 
Brewer, in 1882, performed the first pharmacological studies 
with manacd by observing the effects of the fluid extract on 
cats and frogs and on himself. He concluded that manaca acts 
chiefly on the spinal chord by first stimulating, then abolishing 
the activity of the motor centers, with similar action in the 
respiratory center. All the glands were markedly stimulated, 
including salivary, gastric, intestinal, cutaneous, and the liver 
and kidneys. He found no effects on the brain or sense organs. 
Brewer’s self-experiment with manacd root furnishes us 
with arare, firsthand account of the effects on humans. Taking 
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