HERBA CHIRAT^. 437 



the year 1829 ; and in 1839 was introduced into the Edinburgh Pharma- 

 copoeia. The plant was first described by Roxburgh in 1814. 



Chiretta was regarded by Guibourt as the Calamus aroraaticiis of 

 the ancients, but the improbability of this being correct was well 

 pointed out by Fee^ and by Royle, and is now generally admitted. 



Description — The entire plant is collected when in flower, or more 

 commonly when the capsules are fully formed, and tied up with a slip 

 of bamboo into tiattish bundles of about 3 feet lono^,- each weio^hinj? when 

 dry from 1| to 2 lb. The stem, j% to y\ of an inch in thickness, is of 

 an orange-brown, sometimes of a dark purplish colour ; the tapering 

 simple root, often much exceeding the stem in thickness, is 2 to 4 inches 

 long and up to i an inch thick. It is less frequently branched, but 

 always provided with some rootlets. In stronger specimens, the root is 

 somewhat oblique or geniculate ; perhaps the stem is in this case the 

 product of a second year's growth and the plant not strictly annual. 

 Each plant usually consists of a single stem, yet occasionally two 

 or more spring from a single root. The stem rises to a height of 2 to 3 

 feet, and is cylindrical in its lower and middle portion, but bluntly 

 quadrangular in its upper, the four edges being each marked with a 

 prominent decurrent line, as in Eryfhrcea Centaurium and many other 

 plants of the order. The decussate ramification resembles that of other 

 gentians ; its stems are jointed at intervals of 1| to 3 or 4 inches, 

 bearing opposite semi-amplexicaul leaves on their cicatrices. The stem 

 consists in its lower portion of a large woody column, coated with a 

 very thin rind, and enclosing a comparatively large pith. The upper 

 parts of the stem and branches contain a broad ring of thick-walled 

 woody parenchyme. The numerous slender axillary and opposite 

 branches are elongated, and thus constitute a dense umbellate panicle. 

 They are smooth and glabrous, of a greenish or brownish grey colour. 



The leaves are ovate-acuminate, cordate at the base, entire, se&sile, 

 the largest 1 inch or more in length, 3- to 5- or 7-nerved, the midrib 

 being strongest. At each division of the panicle there are two small 

 bracts. The yellow corolla is rotate, 4-lobed, with glandular pits above 

 the base ; the calyx is one-third the length of the petals, which are 

 about half an inch long. The one-celled, bivalved capsule contains 

 numerous seeds. 



The flowers share the intense bitterness of the whole drug. The 

 wood of stronger stems is devoid of the bitter principles. 



Chemical Composition— A chemical examination of chiretta has 

 been made at our request under the direction of Professor Ludwig of 

 Jena, by his assistant Mr. Hohn. The chief results of this careful and 

 elaborate investigation may be thus described.^ 



Among the bitter principles of the drug, Ophelic Acid, C^H^O^", 

 occurs in the largest proportion. It is an amorphous, viscid, yellow 

 substance, of an acidulous, persistently bitter taste, and a faint gentian- 

 like odour. "With basic acetate of lead, it produces an abiuidant yellow 

 precipitate. Ophelic acid does not form an insoluble compound with 

 tannin ; it dissolves in water, alcohol and ether. The first solution 



^ Cours d'Histoire nat. pharmaceutique, presently are nsually much shorter, 

 ii. (1828) 395. 3 por full details, see Archiv der Phar- 



2 The other kinds of chiretta to be named made, 189 (1869) 229. 



