160 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



day. This tincture was prepared by macerating for one week 

 in 150 grams of alcohol 30 grams of fresh bark finely divided. 

 This preparation operates as an emetic and purgative in doses 

 of 30-60 drops. It is evident that the plant possesses very 

 active, even poisonous properties and should be employed with 

 great caution. The decoction of the bark is given as an emetic 

 and cathartic, but very imprudently because there is no means 

 of determining the quantity of active principle, shown by 

 chemical analysis to be a dangerous product. 



The fruit is very bitter and acrid. The seeds yield by ex- 

 pression 35 to 41% oil (De Yry) and 57% when treated with 

 benzol. It has an agreeable odor resembling that of sweet 

 almonds, its density is 0.9148 at 25° and it is perfectly clear 

 and transparent at that temperature. At 15° it thickens and 

 at 13° solidifies. According to Oudemans it consists of 63% 

 triolein and 37 % tripalmin and tristearin ; it is not poisonous. 

 After expression De Vry obtained from the caked residue 4 % 

 of a crystalline glucoside called by him thevetin. Bias, of the 

 Academy of Medicine of Belgium, studied it later and de- 

 scribed it as a white powder of small colorless scales, odorless, 

 very bitter, soluble at 14° in 122 parts of water, in alcohol, in 

 crystallizable acetic acid, insoluble in ether ; formula C 54 H 34 24 . 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolves it, producing a dark red 

 color that changes to cherry red and then after several hours to 

 violet. The color disappears if water be added. Boiled in acid 

 solution the glucoside changes to a new substance, theveresin 

 (C 48 H 70 O 17 ), white, amorphous, slightly soluble in boiling water 

 and in alcohol, insoluble in benzine or chloroform, soluble in 

 alkalies, very bitter. Both substances are energetic narcotic 

 poisons ; but the plant contains another even more powerful 

 poison isolated by Warden, of Calcutta; it does not form crys- 

 tals, it is very bitter, freely soluble in water, and is turned 

 yellow by sulphuric and nitric acids. 



Thevetin and theveresin exercise a marked toxic effect on the 



