CARUM 329 



385. CARUM. CARAWAY 

 CARAWAY 



The dried fruit of Car'um car'vi Linne" prevented from attacks of insects by chloro- 

 form or carbon tetrachloride. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. A biennial 2 feet in height, with bipinnate leaves. 

 The umbel rarely involucrate, flowers consisting of 5 obcordate, small, white 

 petals; carpels with 5 filiform ridges; stylopodium (the disk-like expansion of 

 the receptacle) depressed. Fruit brownish, oblong, slightly curved. 



HABITAT. Asia; introduced into America. 



DESCRIPTION OF DRUG. The mericarps, which are usually separated, are 

 about 4 to 5 mm. (^ to % in.) in length, tapering somewhat at the 

 ends. Surface dark brown, smooth, with the exception of the five 

 lighter colored, filiform ribs, between .which are the six large, easily 

 visible oil-tubes. A cross-section shows the pentangular seed and oil- 

 tubes. Odor and taste aromatic, agreeable. "Drawn fruits: ' r 

 This name has been applied to a form of adulterated caraway a 

 partially exhausted fruit, whereby they have been deprived of a 

 portion of the volatile oil. It is said that "Dutch seed" of fair 

 quality should give over 5 per cent, of volatile oil. Exhausted fruits 

 have been found to contain but 1.5 to 1.9 per cent, of oil. They are 

 of much darker color than the genuine. The American seed is slightly 

 smaller than the German. The seed cultivated in Northern Germany 

 is too deficient in essential oil for profitable distillation, but it has 

 a fine appearance. 

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



CONSTITUENTS. Volatile oil 4 to 5 per cent., consisting of carvone 

 and carvene, see 385 a; readily soluble in alcohol, slightly soluble 

 in water. Ash, not more than 8 per cent. 



ACTION AND USES. Stimulant, stomachic, and carminative, and an 

 adjuvant. Dose: 15 to 30 gr. (i to 2 Gm.). 



OFFICIAL PREPARATION. 



Tinctura Cardamom! Composita (1.2 



per cent.), Dose: i to 4 fl. dr. (4 to 15 mils). 



385 a. OLEUM CARI, U.S. A limpid, colorless or pale yellow volatile 

 oil, specific gravity 0.92, with an aromatic odor and taste, becoming 

 acrid and of a higher specific gravity when exposed. It consists of 

 two portions, a light hydrocarbon, carvene, identical with limonene, 

 and a heavy oil, carvone, isomeric with thymol. 



ACTION AND USES. Stimulant, stomachic, carminative, and adjuvant. 

 Dose: i to 10 ITR (0.065 to 0.6 mil). 



OFFICIAL PREPARATION. 



Spiritus Juniper! Compositus (0.05 



per cent.) Dose: 2 to 4 fl. dr. (8 to 15 mils). 



