80 VERBENACEM 



'buttermilk is administered in colic and lientery. Dr. Bholanutli 

 Bose has drawn attention to the leaves as a cheap and efficient 

 substitute for Chiretta. {Pharjuacqpoeia of India,) Brigade- 

 Surgeon J. H. Thornton considers the expressed juice of the 

 Icayes to be an excellent laxative, cholagogue, and anthelmintic ; 

 also a valuable bitter tonic, and useful as an injection into the 

 rectum for the destruction of ascarides. These opinions are 

 supported by those of six other medical officers quoted by Br. 

 G, Watt in the Didionanj of the Economic Products of Indian ii., 

 'p. 373- M . 0. Butt gives Bhandira as the Sanskrit name, but 

 this name does not occur in the Uaja Nirghanta, and is usually 

 applied to other plants. In Western India it has been 

 identified with the Kari of the Raja Nirghanta. 



Description. — A gregarious shrub spreading by under- 

 ground suckers, 3 to 6 feet in height. The leaves are from 8 to 

 10 inches long, and from 7 to 8 inches broad at the base, ovate- 

 cordate, hairy on both sides, odour disagreeable, taste bitter, and 

 elightly astringent. ' The inflorescence forms large, terminal, 

 cross-armed panicles, flowers white, streaked with j^ink, sweet- 

 scented ; after they have fallen, the calyxes enlarge and turn red. 



Chemical conipositton, — A proximate analysis of the leaves 

 gave the following result: — • 



Ethereal extract lO'Sl 



]6-40 



15-20 



Alcoholic „ , 



Aqueous „ > 



Alkaline „ 8-97 



Organic residue 3847 



Inorganic „ , 



Moisture 



5-93 



4-22 



% 



Total 100-00 



4 



Ast soluble in water 16-83 



„ in acid 72-86 



Sand and silicates 10-30 



Total 100-00 



Sodium chloride in ash 5-58 



