EVPEOnmACE^. 295 



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History, Uses, &C. — This tree bears the Sanskrit 

 names of Pindara, Karahata, and Kurangaka. It is described 

 in the Nighantas as sweet and cooling, useful for the removal of 

 swellings, bile and phlegm ; the root is prescribed in gouty or 

 rheumatic affections. Rheede describes the plant under the 

 name of Canschiy and states that the root in decoction is used 

 to relieve flatulence, and is applied locally in gout. 



Description. — The root has a thickish bark, which is 

 of a light-brown colour externally^ nearly smooth, and studded 



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here and there with a few small lenticular corky worts. On 

 rubbing off the thin brown suberous layer a dull-red surface is 

 exposed. The bark is fibrous and tough, and has a subaromatic, 

 astringent and slightly bitter taste. The wood is white and 

 soft. 



Chemical composition. — The fresh root-bark was contused and 

 exhausted with 80 per cent, alcohol ; the alcoholic extract 

 mixed with water acidulated with sulphuric acid, and agitated 

 successively with petroleum ether, and ether ; then rendered 

 alkaline with sodic carbonate and agitated first with ether and 

 lastly with amylic alcohol. 



During agitation with petroleum ether a large amount of 



resinous matter separated. The petroleum ether extract con- 

 tained a large amount of colouring matter and had a persistent 

 bitter taste. By agitation with water acidulated with sulphuric 

 acid and ether, it was separated into two portions, a portion 

 soluble in ether, which contained the greater part of the 

 colouring matter, and some fat; while the aqueous acid solution 

 held in suspension yellowish flocks consisting of a neutral 

 resinous principle. 



The acid ether extract was small in amount, partly soluble 

 in water with acid reaction; the solution giving a blue-Uack 

 coloration with ferric chloride, and precipitating gelatine, but 

 giving no reaction with potassium cyanide. On adding 

 ammonia to the ether extract, a yellow to brown sherry colour 

 was produced. The ammonlacal solution was agitated with 

 ether, which removed a small amount of whitish resinous 



