

COPAIBA. ~ 235 



Characters and Test. A brown sweetish subacid pulp 

 preserved in sugar, containing strong fibres and brown shining 

 seeds, each enclosed in a membranous coat. 



Impurity. Copper ; a piece of bright iron left in contact 

 with the pulp for an hour does not exhibit any deposit of 

 copper. 



Composition. Tamarind contains sugar, gum, tartaric acid, 

 acid tartrate of potash, citric, acetic, and various aromatic 

 acids. 



Tamarind is contained in Confectio Sennse, about 1 in 8. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Tamarind acts as a pleasant acid refrigerant and gentle 

 laxative. For the former purpose it is prepared either as an 

 infusion or as tamarind whey (1 part of the pulp to 30 parts 

 warm milk), which is also a mild purgative, like the Confectio 

 Sennas. 



Copaiba COPAIVA. The oleo- resin obtained 

 from incisions made in the trunk of Copaifera rnulti- 

 juga. and other species of Copaifera. Chiefly from 

 the valley of the Amazon. 



Characters and Tests. About the consistence of olive oil, 

 light yellow, transparent, with a peculiar odour, and an acrid 

 aromatic nauseous taste. Perfectly soluble in an equal volume 

 of benzol. Is not fluorescent. 



Composition. Copaiba consists of less than 50 per cent of 

 the officinal volatile oil, and more than 50 per cent of resin. The 

 oil of copaiva, isomeric with turpentine, Ci H l6 , is colourless or 

 pale yellow, with the odour and taste of copaiva. Resin of 

 Copaiva, C 2o H 3o 02, is a brownish resinous mass, consisting of a 

 crystallisable resin, copaivic acid, the chief constituent of the oleo- 

 resin, and a non-crystallisable viscid resin of copaiba, amount- 

 ing to 1| per cent. The proportion of oil and resin varies 

 much with the age and exposure of the copaiba. 



Impurities. Turpentine, detected by the odour on heating. 

 Fixed oils, detected by a greasy ring round the resinous stain 

 left by copaiva when heated on paper. Copaiva dissolves one- 

 fourth its weight of carbonate of magnesia by the aid of heat, and 

 remains transparent ; not so the fixed oil. Gurjun balsam, 

 which coagulates at 270. 



Dose. i to 1 fl.dr. 



