PAREIRA 245 



i 



strongly lignified and provided with large longitudinal elliptical 

 pores; occasional fragments of blackish-brown cork. 



Constituents. An alkaloid pelosine (cissampeline) about 1 per 

 cent, somewhat resembling berberine in bebeeru bark (Nectandra 

 Rodiaei, one of the Lauraceae, and buxine in box wood (Buxus semper- 

 virens, one of the Sapindaceae) ; starch, tannin, wax, ash 4 to 5 per 

 cent. 



Substitutes. Other roots are frequently substituted for genuine 

 pareira brava, which are no doubt derived from other menisperma- 

 ceous plants; these roots are of a brownish color, possess numerous 

 concentric zones of fibrovascular bundles, and do not have a waxy 

 luster when cut. 



False Pareira is obtained from a related species (Cissampelos 

 Pareira), growing in South America, West Indies and East Indies. 

 The root is somewhat flattened, externally dark brown, internally 

 yellowish-brown, free from the concentric zones of wood bundles, 

 and contains about 0.5 per cent of pelosine. 



The stems of Chondrodendron tomentosum are also sometimes 

 found in the drug; these are more woody, possess a distinct pith and 

 are marked externally by the apothecia of lichens. 



The roots of several other plants of this family are used as sub- 

 stitutes for pareira, among which may be mentioned Chondro- 

 dendron platyphyllum of Brazil and Paraguay, and Stephania 

 discolor of India. White Pareira is obtained from Abuta rufescens, 

 the roots of which are whitish or pale yellow and very starchy. 

 Yellow Pareira is obtained from A. amara. The root is bright 

 yellow internally, very bitter and apparently contains alkaloids 

 resembling beberine and berberine. 



Literature. Holm, Merck's Kept., 1918, 27, pages 7 and 60. 



MAGNOLIACE^;, OR MAGNOLIA FAMILY. 



The plants are mostly trees or shrubs and are represented in the 

 United States by the magnolias and tulip tree also dalled yellow pop- 

 lar or white wood. The plants are characterized by having in the 

 pericycle small isolated groups of bast fibers. The tracheae are 

 marked either by simple pores, scalariform thickenings, of bordered 

 pores. The pith is frequently hollow, surrounded by more or less 

 empty cells, those at the periphery being thick-walled and living. 

 The stone cells are of various shapes, being not infrequently much 

 branched as in magnolia. Calcium oxalate occurs in the form of 



