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SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



tion cells with suberized walls; oil globules numerous; fragments of 

 powder becoming wine-colored with sulphuric acid. 



Constituents. Volatile oil 10 to 18 per cent, consisting chiefly of 

 terpenes and sesquiterpenes and a sesquiterpene hydrate known as 

 cubeb camphor; several resins, 2.5 to 3.5 per cent, one of which is 

 acrid, the other a so-called indifferent resin; cubebic acid, 1 to 3.5 

 per cent, this being colored reddish with sulphuric acid; a bitter 

 crystalline principle, cubebin, 0.4 to 3 per cent; fixed oil, 1 per cent; 

 gum, 8 per cent; starch, and about 6 per cent of ash. 



FIG. 68. Powdered Cubeb. Sc, sclerenchymatous fibers; St, stone cells; 

 P, parenchyma cells; Pe, parenchyma of-perisperm filled with starch; S, 

 starch grains 0.002 to 0.012 mm. in diameter; T, tracheae; O, oil globules; 

 F, reddish-brown amorphous fragments. Drawing by Hogstad. 



Allied Plants. A number of other species of Piper yield fruits 

 resembling cubeb, as Piper Clusii, of West Africa; P. borbonense, of 

 Bourbon; P. sumatranum and P. pedicellosum, of Indo-China. 



The fruit of Toddalia lanceolata (Fam. Rutaceae) is used in Africa 

 in place of cubeb (berries). The fruits of Litsea citrata have been 

 sold as false cubeb, and those of Litsea Cubeba (Fam. Lauraceae) are 

 substituted for cubeb in Cochin China. 



Adulterants. The fruits of other species of Piper sometimes find 

 their way into market; these are grayish in color, somewhat bitter, 



