536 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



what resembles pelletierine, but its hydrochloride is dextro- 

 rotatory. PsEUDOPELLETiERiNE (methylgranatonine) occurs in 

 prisms, is optically inactive, and resembles in its reactions and 

 decomposition products tropinone. The latter is formed from 

 tropine, a compound which results on the decomposition of most 

 of the solanaceous alkaloids. Granatum also contains 20 to 22 

 per cent, of a mixture of tannins, one of which yields gallic acid 

 and the other ellagic acid. A yellow coloring principle, consid- 

 erable starch and calcium oxalate are also present in the drug. 



Allied Drugs. — The rind of the fruit of Punica Granatum, 

 known as pomegranate rind, occurs in irregularly curved yellow- 

 ish-brown fragments about 2 mm. thick. It contains 23.8 to 25 

 per cent, of a tannin which is colored bluish-black with ferric salts. 



MEZEREUM.— MEZEREON BARK.— The dried bark of 

 Daphne Meserenm, and of other species of Daphne (Earn. Thyme- 

 laceas), shrubs indigenous to Europe and Asia, and naturalized in 

 New England and Canada (p. 343). T^he bark is collected in 

 early spring; it is dried and frequently made up into small bun- 

 dles, the commercial supplies being obtained from Thuringia, 

 Southern France and Algeria. 



Description. — In flexible double quills or somewhat flattened 

 strips 10 to 90 cm. long, 3 to 20 mm. in diameter, bark about 0.3 

 mm. thick; outer surface light or dark brown, smooth, obliquely 

 striate or wrinkled, with numerous lentieels, occasional brownish- 

 black apothecia, and sometimes with buds or bud-scars; inner 

 surface yellowish-green, somewhat lustrous, finely striate; frac- 

 ture tough, fibrous, the dark-brown periderm readily separable 

 from the yellowish-green cortex, inner bark yellowish-green, 

 lamellated ; odor slight ; taste very acrid. 



Constituents. — An acrid resin known as mezerein; a crys- 

 talline, bitter glucoside daphnin (isomeric with assculin) occurring 

 in greatest amount in the stem bark during the fiowering and 

 fruiting season ; volatile and fixed oils ; malic acid ; several sugars ; 

 and starch. 



Allied Drugs. — The berry-like fruits of Daphne Mezereum 

 and D. Gnidium are sub-globular, dark brown or brownish-black, 

 about 5 mm. in diameter, with a black, glossy seed and acrid 

 pungent taste. The fruits contain 0.38 per cent, of coccogonin, a 



