ee  MENISPERWACE. 
Description:—The fresh stem has a green succulent bark, 
covered by a thin brown epidermis, which peels off in’ flakes ; 7 
it is studded with warty prominerices, and here and there gives 
off roots and branches bedring smooth heart-shaped leaves, a q 
bunches of red berries ;, when dry it shrinks very much, and © 
the bark separates from the wood, and becomes ofa dull 
_ brown colour; the latter consists ofa number of wedge-shap 4 
bundles; the taste is very bitter ; “the odour not in any way 
peculiar. “s 
* Microscopic structure. he suber. consists of tabular cells, 
-and thick-walled yellow cells, in alternate layers; the woody — 
portion is not to be distinguished from that of several oth 
Menispermaceous plants common in Indias 
“Chemical composition. —The extract called Palo and Sat- ' 
giloe is simply ‘starch, which, through not having been was 
(1884) by boiling it with-alcohol and a little hydrate of cale 
the alcohol was then evaporated and the residue extracted 
~ means of chloroform. The latter liquid was found to conte 
an alkaloid in very small quantity ; on evaporating it and dis- 
solving the residue by means of acidulated water, a solution 
was obtained, which proved to contain merely a trace of ber 
-_ berine. The alcoholic extract after it had been exhansted-by 
chloroform as above stated, was dissolved in boiling water # 
precipitated by tannic acid, avoiding an excess of the act 
The deposit thus obtained was mixed with carbonate of ae 
dried and exhausted with alcohol, which on evaporation yielde 
the bitter principle. By boiling this bitter -principle wit 
- dilute sulphuric.acid, sugar was produced and it lost its bit 
ness. Neither the original bitter Principle’ or the produc c 
derived from it could be Sry sinitied: 
ee Ocimmaee: —Yhe stems are collected and dried re: th 
<.*s country people who bring them for sale to the bie “Val 
‘ Rs. = per ave maund of 374 Ibs. | “ 
i= 
