SASSY 251 



pieces, exhibits numerous large closely approximated groups of 

 sclerenchymatous cells embedded in reddish brown (parenchymatous) 

 tissue. The structure of this portion of the bark is discernible with 

 the naked eye, and is identical in both young and old bark. The 

 bark has no odour, and only a slightly bitter and astringent taste. 

 The student should observe 



(a) The reddish brown warts (or outer surface) and the nearly 



black inner surface, 



(b) The hard granular fracture, 



(c) The sclerenchymatous cells in the bast. 



Constituents. Sassy bark, which is used by the West African negroes 

 as an ordeal poison, contains a toxic alkaloid erythrophloeine ; other 

 constituents are resin (13-5 per cent.) and tannin together with traces 

 of ipuranol, luteolin, small quantities of fatty acids, &c. 



ErythropTiloeine is amorphous and yields amorphous salts ; it has not yet 

 been sufficiently investigated. 



Luteolin is a yellow colouring matter, first separated from Reseda luteola. 

 Linne ; it is identical with digitoflavone ; quercetin is hydroxyluteolin. 



Uses. Erythrophloeine has been found useful in certain forms 

 of heart disease. The hydrochloride has local anaesthetic properties 

 and has been used in dental operations. 



WILD CHERRY BARK 



(Virginian Prune Bark, Cortex Pruni Virginianse) 



Source, &C. The bark that is commonly known as ' wild cherry 

 bark,' is obtained from Prunus serotina, Ehrhart (N.O. JRosacece), 

 the black cherry, a tree widely distributed over North America, 

 especially throughout the northern and central States. The wood 

 is highly valued for cabinet work, whilst the bark is employed medi- 

 cinally for which purpose it is collected from the branches in the 

 autumn, experiments proving that such bark is the most active. 



Description. Wild cherry bark varies considerably in appearance. 

 It occurs usually in flattened, curved, or recurved pieces, attaining 

 12 cm. in length and 5 cm. in width, but generally smaller, and about 

 2 mm. in thickness. Young bark is frequently covered with a thin, 

 smooth, often glossy, reddish brown cork, much interrupted by whitish 

 lenticels which are strongly tangentially elongated ; it can easily be 

 peeled off in thin, membranous tangential strips, disclosing a smooth 

 greenish brown cortex. Old bark is darker and rougher. Much of 

 the commercial drug has been deprived of its cork, and then the 

 smooth greenish brown cortex, bearing scars corresponding to the 

 lenticels, constitutes the outer layer. Sometimes even this has 



