SENNA SUMBUL. 



', the greater part of the produce of winch find its way to 

 Endia, through the Red Sea, Surat, Bombay and Calcutta, the im- 

 ports into C'ulrutta, in 18-19, having been 79,212 Ibs. C. obovata 

 furntslirs the Aleppo and Italian drug. 



At least eight varieties of senna leaf are known in commerce in 

 Europe 1. the Senna palthe ; 2. Senna of Sennaar or Alexandria ; 

 3. of Tripoli ; 4. of Aleppo ; 5. of Moka ; 6. of Senegambia ; 7. 

 tin- false or Arghel; 8. the Tinnevelly. 



In Egypt the senna harvest takes place twice annually, in April 

 and September ; the stalks are cut off with the leaves, dried before 

 the sun, and then packed with date leaves. At Boulka, the drug 

 is sorted, mixed, and adulterated, and passed into commerce 

 through Alexandria. 



Alexandrian senna, according to Mr. Jacob Bell ("Pharmaceuti- 

 cal Journal," vol. 2, p. 63), contains a mixture of two or more 

 species of true senna. It consists principally of Cassia obovata 

 and C. oltusata, and according to some authorities it occasionally 

 contains C. acutifolia. This mixture is unimportant, but the 

 Oynanchum Arghel, which generally constitutes a fifth of the 

 weight on an average, possesses properties differing in some re- 

 spects from true senna, and which render it particularly objection- 

 able. The Tinnevelly senna, that most esteemed by the profession, 

 is known by the size of the leaflets, which are much larger than 

 those of any other variety ; they are also less brittle, thinner and 

 larger, and are generally found in a very perfect state, while the 

 other varieties, especially the Alexandrian, are more or less broken. 

 The leaves of the Cynanchum are similar in form to those of the 

 lanceolate senna, but they are thicker and stiffer, the veins are 

 scarcely visible, they are not oblique at the base, their surface is 

 rugose, and the color grey or greenish drab ; their taste is bitter 

 and disagreeable, and they are often spotted with a yellow, in- 

 tensely bitter gummo-resinous incrustation. Being less fragile 

 than the leaflets of the true senna, they are more often found en- 

 tire, and are very easily distinguishable from the varieties which 

 constitute true Alexandrian senna. 



In their botanical character they are essentially different, being 

 distinct leaves, not leaflets, which is the case with true senna. 



The SUMBUL root, which has recently been introduced into the 

 French market, is the root of an umbelliferous plant, which is 

 characterised by a strong odor of musk. The pilgrims, on their 

 return from Mecca, generally import to Salonika, Constantinople, 

 &c., among other articles of trade, various plants with a musk-like 

 odor. The preparation of these vegetable substances is said to be 

 effected by smearing them over with musk-balsam. 



