ZEDOARIA. 85 



' The round Zedoary is one of the two Zarambads (Zerumbets), 

 described by Mahometan ^Yriters, the other being the nar-Kachoora 

 of India, which does not appear to be known in Europe." 



" The microscopic structure is essentially the same as that of 

 turmeric, but the resin and essential oil in the cells are of a 

 yellowish-white colour, and the greater portion of the starch grains 

 are ovoid or pyriform instead of narrow and elongated as in 

 turmeric." 



According to Bucholz* Zedoary contains volatile oil, a bitter, 

 soft resin, bitter extractive matter, gum, starch, etc. The oil is turbid, 

 yellowish-white, and viscid, has a camphoric taste and smell, and 

 consists of two oils, one lighter, the other heavier than water. 

 Trommsdorfff mentions a substance, which he calls Zedoarin, but 

 does not further describe it. 



Several authors, amongst whom are Pomet, Dale, Bergius and 

 Woodville, considered that the two sorts of Zedoary were obtained 

 from the roots of the same species of plant and indiscriminately 

 used in the shops, and Guibourt ^ expresses the opinion that the 

 same plant could produce both of them ; the " round " sort being 

 the large tubers called by Eumphius matrix radicis, and the "long" 

 the finger-like processes surrounding it, but in reality they are 

 derived from distinct plants : the numerous species of the genus 

 containing some plants which form long roots, and others 

 developing round ones. 



The chemical composition of both round and long Zedoary is 

 said by Pereira§ to be identical. 



Fluckiger and Hanbury state the chemical composition of 

 Curcuma as follows (Hist, des Drogues, ii. p. 437) : — The root con- 

 tains one per cent, of of volatile oil, which, according to Suida and 

 Daube is principally composed of a liquid corresponding with the 

 formula C^qH^^O, but not identical with Carvol as these last- 

 named investigators assert. The oil also contains a slight proportion 

 of a hydrocarbon. The colouring matter, called Curcumine, is 

 obtained by exhausting the drug with benzene after having distilled 

 off' the essential oil. The impure crystals obtained by evaporating 



* Rep. Pharm., ix. p. 376. 

 t Watts' Diet, of Chem., v. p. 1060. 

 X Hist, des Drogues, 7th Ed., ii. p. 209. 

 § Mat. Med., ii. part i. p. 242. 



