APPENDIX. 99 



Beeberis is obtained an extract called Ibrdn ; this is a yellow dye, 

 which is also employed in medicine as a local application to 

 inflamed eyes," 



Podophyllum emodi. 



We have met with the root in the plains in the possession of a 

 pilgrim, from Kedernath. He called it Mdmirdn^ and greatly valued 

 it as a remedy for ophthalmia, his small stock of four or five roots 

 was carefully wrapped in several covers of silk. 



Analysis of the Resin of Podophyllum emodi 



• • • * • « 



««• ••« v«* 



Ash 



Moisture 



Oily and waxy matter, soluble in benzin 



Podophyllotoxie acid ... .... .., 



Podophyllotoxin, active principle 



Inert matter insoluble in chlorofomn and soluble in 



None 

 4-2 



4-0 

 131 



56-55 



alcohol 



■ • # 



••^ v«« «•• *•• 



22-15 



lOG-0 



The percentage of active principle, podophyllotoxin, in this 

 sample is fully 25 per cent, higher than the average amount found in 

 resin of podophyllum, which varies from 40 to 45 per cent. Ameri- 

 can podoi>hyllum yields, on a large manufacturing scale, 5 per cent, 

 of podophyllin, and accepting 10 per cent, as a practical average 

 from the Indian, we should have a drug worth 1\ times in value. 

 {By F. A. Thompson^ Ph. G.^ Am. Journ. Fharm., May, 1890.) 



Podophyllotoxin. 



This substance, which was first shown to be the active principle of 

 Podophyllin by Podwissotzki, has now been obtained in a pure state 

 by Neuberger {Arch. f. exp. Path. u. Pharm., xxxiii., H. 1, 1890); it 

 forms colourless prismatic crystals, little soluble in water, but 

 freely soluble in alcohol, forming an intensely bitter solution. Frogs 

 were not easily affected by it, and it required a dose of O-Ol gram 

 administered in mucilage to produce a muscular rigidity which was 

 followed by death in three days ; a congested state of the intestinal 

 vessels was observed in some cases. It appeared to have little or no 



