30 LEAVES 



Adenandra fragrans, Roemer and Schultes ; oblong, obtuse, caraway 

 odour. 



Uses. Buchu is regarded as possessing a tonic and diuretic action ; 

 it is used in inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract. 



JABORANDI LEAVES 



(Folia Jaborandi) 



Source, &C. The name jaborandi is applied in South America, 

 especially in Brazil, to a number of plants (belonging chiefly to the 

 natural orders Eutacece and Piperacece) possessing salivant and 

 sudorific properties. The leaflets of several species of Pilocarpus 

 (N.O. Rutacece) have been imported as jaborandi but the variety at 

 present almost exclusively in commerce is obtained 

 from P. microphyllus, Stapf. 



The plant produces imparipinnate compound leaves, 

 mostly with three pairs of leaflets which are collected, 

 dried, and exported in large quantities to Liverpool, 

 chiefly from Maranham ; hence this variety is often 

 distinguished as Maranham jaborandi. 



Description. The leaflets are 2'5 to 4 cm. long, 

 greyish green, coriaceous, glabrous, obovate, deeply 

 emarginate at the apex and more or less asymmet- 

 FIG. 19. Leaflet rical with the exception of the terminal leaflet which 

 of Pilocarpus j s symmetrical. By transmitted light oil-glands are 

 mwrop y us. v j s j^j e un( j er a lens. Odour characteristic but not 

 powerful ; taste aromatic and pungent, a copious flow 

 of saliva being produced. The rachis, if present, is slightly winged, 

 The student should carefully observe 



(a) The presence of oil-glands, 



(b) The emarginate apex, 



(c) The asymmetry of the leaflet. 



Constituents. Jaborandi leaves contain volatile oil (about 0'5 

 per cent.) resin and the alkaloids pilocarpine, isopilocarpine and 

 pilosine (carpiline). Of these alkaloids pilocarpine, C n H 16 N 2 O 2 , is 

 the most important and the one upon which the therapeutical value 

 of the leaves almost entirely depends. The proportion present is 

 usually about O5 per cent. 



Pilocarpine is crystalline (m. pt. 34) and dextrorotatory ; O'Ol gm. 

 produces powerful sweating and salivation. Heating with alcoholic 

 potash converts it into the racemic form, isopilocarpine, which has 

 about one-tenth of the activity. 



Pilosine occurs in very small proportion only. 



