INDIAN PINK 203 



straighter, and thicker ; the roots are less wiry ; it contains 

 sclerenchymatous cells and cystoliths in the bark. 



Constituents. The drug contains an acrid, bitter principle, soluble 

 in water, and a liquid volatile alkaloid, spigeline (Dudley, 1881) ; the 

 latter statement requires confirmation. 



Uses. Indian pink is used as a vermifuge. It possesses poisonous 

 properties allied to those of gelsemium, depressing the action of the 

 heart and respiration, and causing loss of muscular power when given 

 in large doses. 



CHIRETTA 



(Chirata, Herba Chirettae) 



Source, &c. Chiretta, Swertia Chirata, Hamilton (N.O. Gentianece), 

 is an erect annual herb growing to a height of about a metre, and 

 indigenous to the mountainous districts of Northern India. It has 

 long been used by the Hindus, but was not introduced into European 

 medicine till about 1830. The entire plant is collected when the 

 flowering is well advanced, and made into bundles about a metre 

 long, weighing nearly a kilogramme each, which are often compressed 

 for exportation. 



Description. The stem, which attains about 6 mm. in thickness, 

 is of a yellowish brown or purplish brown colour, glabrous, and slightly 

 winged. The lower part is rounded, and exhibits, when cut longitu- 

 dinally, a narrow wood enclosing a large, continuous, easily separable 

 pith ; the upper part of the stem produces in the axils of opposite 

 leaves numerous slender, elongated, decussate branches which ramify 

 further, bearing numerous fruits and occasional flowers. 



The few leaves to be found are opposite and sessile, ovate or 

 lanceolate in outline, acuminate, entire, and glabrous. The fruits 

 are superior, ovoid and pointed ; they are formed from two carpels, 

 but are one-celled and contain numerous, minute, reticulated seeds. 

 There are not many flowers present in the drug. 



The tapering root attains about 10 cm. in length and 12 mm. in 

 thickness at the crown, and is frequently oblique. 



The drug has no marked odour, but all parts have an extremely 

 bitter taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The purplish brown colour of the stem, 



(b) The large continuous pith, 



(c) The intensely bitter taste, 



(d) The opposite leaves, 



(e) The bicarpzllary, unilocular fruits. 



The first three characters will suffice to distinguish the genuine drug 



