XANTHOXYLUM 



26l 



lichens, also numerous black dots and a few straight spines. Inner 

 surface is light brown or yellowish; fracture uneven, short; inodorous; 

 taste bitter, pungent, and acrid. Southern prickly-ash (F. clava- 

 hercidis) is somewhat thicker and has conical corky projections, with 

 a few spines rising from corky bases. Inner surface free from acicular 

 crystals. 

 Powder. Characteristic elements: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 



CONSTITUENTS. An acrid green 

 oil, a colorless crystalline 

 resin, sugar, ash n to 12 

 per cent., tannin (small quan- 

 tity), and a bitter principle 

 which is turned brown by 

 H 2 SO 4 . 



ACTION AND USES. Alterative, 

 sialagogue, stimulant, and 

 tonic, its action being sim- 

 ilar to that of guaiac and 

 mezereum. The bark chewed 

 is a popular remedy for 

 toothache, giving rise to 



tVif wnonvm toothache- FIG. 143. Xanthoxylum Cross-section of bark. 

 bynonyin, ( ^ jg^ ^ Cork ^ Res . Q ^^ Uedu i. 



tree. The fluidextract is laryray. (Photomicrograph.) 



frequently combined with 



such alteratives as stillingia, lappa, etc. The berries are used in 

 compound syrup of stillingia (see National Formulary). Dose: 15 

 to 45 gr. (i to 3 Gm.). 



OFFICIAL PREPARATION. 



Fluidextractum Xanthoxyli, Dose: 30 to 60 njj (2 to 4 mils). 



271. XANTHOXYLI FRUCTUS, N.F. PRICKLY-ASH FRUIT. Consists of brown- 

 ish-red capsules about 4 to 5 mm. (% to Y in.) in diameter, sessile on the thin 

 receptacle (X. dava-herculis), or borne on short stalks (X. americanum) ; the two 

 valves open when ripe and expose the one or two shining, more or less wrinkled, 

 black seeds; odor aromatic; taste very pungent and somewhat bitter. Stimu- 

 lant, tonic, and alterative; used in fluidextract of stillingia, N.F. Dose: 

 15 to 30 gr. (i to 2 Gm.). 



272. ANGUSTURA. CUSPARIA BARK. The bark of Galipe'a cuspa'ri St. Hillaire. 

 Habitat: Northern South America. Found in the market in flattish, quilled, 

 or channeled pieces about 3 mm. (% in.) thick, and not longer than 150 mm. 

 (6 'in.), but usually shorter; externally it is covered with a yellowish-gray , 

 corky layer, which is marked by shallow longitudinal fissures, and in most 

 cases easily removed by the nail; inner surface light cinnamon-brown, often 

 with adhering strips of wood; internally reddish-brown .showing white points 

 due to deposits of calcium oxalate. The tissue of the bark is loaded with 

 oil cells. Odor musty, due to volatile oil; taste bitter and nauseous. Besides 

 volatile oil and resin, the bark contains a bitter principle, angusturin, and 

 four alkaloids, the most important of which is cusparine. Used as an aro- 

 matic bitter. Dose: 8 to 30 gr. (0.5 to 2 Gm.). 



