SAMADERA INDICA 71 



SIMARUBAGE^. 



Quassia Family. 



Samadera Indica, Gaertn. (Niota tetrapela, DC. & Blanco ; 

 Manungala pendula, Blanco.) 



NOM. VULG. Manungaly Tag., Pam., Bicol.; Manunagl, 

 Linatoganak, Palagarium, Daraput, Vis. 



USES. The wood and seeds contain an intensely bitter prin- 

 ciple. The Filipinos make cups and vases of the wood and 

 allow water to stand in them 6-12 hours, thus preparing a solu- 

 tion of the bitter principle of the plant which they use in various 

 stomach disorders. 



Vrij has extracted from the seeds a 33 ^ oil of a bright yellow 

 color, composed, according to Oudermans, of 84 parts olein to 

 16 of palmitin and stearin. 



The bitter principle contained in the root, wood and bark 

 was discovered by Blunse who named it samaderin ; it is a 

 white, crystalline, foliaceous sub&tance, more soluble in water 

 than in alcohol, fusible. Nitric and hydrochloric acids color it 

 yellow. Sulphuric acid immediately forms a violet red color 

 which disappears as iridescent, feathery crystals are precipi- 

 tated. (D. Beaumentz et Egasse.) 



The Filipino " herb-doctors " concoct an oil of manungal that 

 in reality contains none of the ingredients of the seeds ; it is 

 simply cocoaimt oil in which chips of the wood have been 

 soaked. They use it in doses of 30-60 grams as a purgative, 

 externally as an application to the abdomen in colic or indi- 

 gestion and with friction in rheumatism or contusions. In 

 India the oil extracted from the seeds is used locally with fric- 

 tion in rheumatism. 



The decoction of the wood and the powdered wood are given 

 in fevers, in dyspepsia and as a general tonic. 



IXFUSIOX. Chips of the wood 20 grams. 



Water . 500 " 



