654 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



having simple and bordered pores or scalariform and reticulate 

 thickenings, accompanied by narrow sclerenchymatous fibers, the 

 walls of the latter being thin, porous, and strongly lignified; occa- 

 sional fragments of epidermis with root hairs, and fragments of cork. 



Constituents. Volatile oil 0.5 to 3 per cent, of which 9.5 per cent 

 is bornyl valerate. It also contains bornyl formate, acetate and 

 butyrate; borneol; pinene; camphene, and a sesquiterpene. The 

 odor of valerian is due to the isovalerianic acid which is formed from 

 the bornyl valerate by the action of an oxydase during the drying 

 of the drug. The fresh drug contains 0.015 per cent of an alkaloid 

 and also a glucoside and a resin, all three of which are physiologically 

 active, the two former being unstable. The drug also contains free 

 formic and acetic acids and malates; tannin; saccharose; and starch. 



Allied Plants. Kesso root oil is obtained from Japanese Valerian 

 (Valeriana angustif olia) . The constituents are similar to those of 

 the volatile oil in Valerian, but it contains in addition kessyl acetate 

 and kessyl alcohol. Mexican Valerian, derived from V. mexicana, 

 yields an oil containing about 89 per cent of isovalerianic acid. 

 Indian valerian is as valuable as English-grown valerian and more 

 agreeable to the taste. The Japanese valerian has an unpleasant 

 flavor and gives a different taste to the tincture. 



The small rhizomes of Valeriana celtica, a plant growing in the 

 Styrian Alps, yield a volatile oil with an odor resembling that of 

 Anthemis and patchouly. 



Adulterants and Substitutes. The most dangerous admixture 

 that has been reported is Veratrum, which is readily distinguished 

 (Figs. 30 and 31). Cypripedium macranthum (Fam. Orchidaceae), 

 of Germany (Figs. 60 and 61), has been used as a substitute for 

 valerian. 



CUCURBITACE^), OR PUMPKIN FAMILY 



A family of 650 species of mostly tropical, more or less prostrate 

 or climbing vines. The leaves are usually palmately lobed; the 

 stamens are more or less united either by their filaments or tortuous 

 anthers, and the fruits are fleshy and indehiscent. The fibrovascular 

 bundles are bi-collateral and always separated by broad strands of 

 parenchyma. In the herbaceous stems there is always a closed ring 

 of sclerenchyma in the cortex and the fibrovascular bundles are 

 arranged in 2 interrupted circles. In the fleshy perennial roots and 

 shrub-like stems, showing a secondary growth, broad medullary 

 rays are developed. Furthermore there may also occur from 5 to 7 



