238 BARKS 



hard curved or channelled pieces with silvery white cork and reddish 

 brown inner surface ; fracture short, slightly aromatic ; taste very 

 bitter. 



COTTON ROOT BARK 



(Gossypii Radicis Cortex) 



Source, &C. Many species and varieties of Gossypium are cultivated 

 in the United States, India, Egypt, &c. for the sake of the hairs that 

 cover the seeds (see ' Cotton ') ; the most important are G. herbaceum, 

 Linne, G. barbadense, Linne, and G. arboreum, Linne. The bark 

 stripped from the root and dried constitutes the drug. 



Description. The bark occurs in thin, tough, fibrous strips to which 

 long, thin, tapering rootlets are attached at intervals. The outer 

 layer is a rough, cinnamon-brown cork which easily separates, 

 exhibiting a paler cortex ; the inner surface is whitish, silky and 

 finely striated. The bast is laminated, the outer laminae exhibiting, 

 when separated, surfaces bearing minute, brownish spots. No 

 odour ; taste somewhat acrid and astringent. The bark may be 

 distinguished from the bark of D. Mezereum (see ' Mezereon Bark ') 

 by its rougher, darker surface and absence of leaf-scars or buds. 



Constituents. Cotton root bark yields a small amount of volatile 

 oil containing probably furfuraldehyde and acetovanillone. It yields 

 also about 10*6 per cent, of deep purplish resin. From an alco- 

 holic extract of the bark, dihydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, 

 and two substances of phenolic nature, have been separated, together 

 with betaine, a phytosterol, ceryl alcohol and fatty acids. No tannin 

 is present (Power and Browning). 



-It has been used as a substitute for ergot in labour and as 

 an emmenagogue, but is of doubtful value. 



CUSPARIA BARK 

 (Angostura Bark a Cortex Cuspariae) 



Source, &C. Cusparia bark is obtained from Galipea officinalis, 

 Hancock (N.O. Hutacece), a tree indigenous to the mountains of 

 Venezuela. It was introduced into European medicine about the 

 end of the eighteenth century, being brought from Angostura (on the 

 Orinoco) to Trinidad, whence its name ' Angostura ' bark. It was 

 long considered to be derived from Cusparia febrifuga, de Candolle, 

 a tree closely allied to G. officinalis botanically, but characterised 

 by the presence of calcium oxalate in rosettes, while in Galipea this 

 takes the form of acicular crystals. 



