13 JATEORHIZA CALUMBA 



on its two surfaces from contracting in the drying process in 

 consequence of its spongy nature, and marked by evident radiating 

 lines and faint concentric circles. Calumba root has a feeble 

 musty odour ; and a very bitter taste, more especially the cortical 

 portion. It is very brittle, breaking with a mealy fracture, and 

 is readily reduced to powder. The pieces are often perforated 

 with small holes, which are caused by insects devouring the starch 

 which it contains. 



The principal constituents of Calumba root are calumbin, 

 berberia, calumbic acid, and starch. It is entirely free from both 

 tannic and gallic acid. The bitter taste and medicinal properties 

 are due to the three first-named constituents. Starch constitutes, 

 on an average, nearly one third of its weight ; and hence a decoc- 

 tion of calumba root when cold is blackened by a solution of 

 iodine. Calumbin or Calumba-Bitter, its principal constituent, is 

 a neutral, peculiar, crystalline, colourless, bitter principle. Ber- 

 beria is a bitter crystalline alkaloid of a yellow colour, which 

 was first discovered in the common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) j 

 and which appears to exist in calumba root in combination with 

 calumbic acid; the latter, when separated, is in the form of a 

 yellowish amorphous powder. The yellow colour of calumba is 

 due to berberia, or to this alkaloid in combination with calumbic 

 acid. The best solvent of the active principles is alcohol ; these 

 principles are but very slightly soluble in water. 



Adulterations and Substitutions. According to our experience, 

 calumba root is rarely or ever adulterated at the present time in this 

 country, and it is, moreover, rare to find any other root or stem 

 substituted for it.- The only substitution that we have seen is, 

 the substance that Hanbury described some years since, and 

 which he proved to be the transverse slices of the stems of 

 Coscinium fenestratum, a Menispermaceous plant, like that yielding 

 the true calumba root, but obtained from Ceylon, and not Eastern 

 Africa like it. The slices thus offered as calumba root are 

 readily distinguished by their greater smoothness and hardness, and 

 from not being contracted in their central portion. Of: late years, 

 these slices have been offered in the market in somewhat large 



