68 MINOR PRODUCTS OP PHILIPPINE FORESTS 



The fruits are official in nearly all the twentieth-century phar- 

 macopoeias. According to Greenish * the pulp is used as an 

 acid refrigerant and a gentle laxative. 



Family SIMARUBACEAE 



Genus BRUCEA 

 BRUCEA AMARISSIMA (Lour.) Merr. 



Local names: Bogobogo (Negros, Surigao) ; magkapdyas (Leyte) ; pira- 

 iso, selte (Basilan). 



The flowers are official in the Netherlandish Pharmacopoeia. 



Brucea sumatrana is a somewhat hairy shrub reaching a height 

 of about 3 meters. The leaves are alternate and pinnate. The 

 leaflets are pointed at the apex, rounded or pointed at the base, 

 have prominently toothed margins, and are 4 to 10 centimeters 

 in length. The flowers are small, reddish, and occur on axil- 

 lary inflorescences. The fruits are oval and about 0.5 centi- 

 meter in length. 



This species is distributed' from central Luzon to southern 

 Mindanao. 



Family EUPHORBIACEAE 



Genus CROTON 

 CROTON TIGLIUM L. CROTON-OIL PlANT. 



A description of this species and its local names are given 

 in the section on resins, gums, and oils. 



The oil is ofl[icial in all the twentieth-century pharmacopoeias. 

 According to Greenish: * 



Croton oil is a powerful irritant, producing, when applied to the skin, 

 a burning sensation and redness, followed by severe pustules; it is used, 

 diluted, as a counter-irritant. Internally it is a very rapid drastic cathar- 

 tic, and is given in certain cases of apoplexy. 



Genus MALLOTUS 

 MALLOTUS PHILIPPENSIS (Lam.) Muell.-Arg. BanAto. 



A description of this species and its local names are given 

 an the section on dyes. 



The glands and hairs which cover the fruits are official in 

 many pharmacopoeias. This substance, known as kamala, is 

 an efficient remedy for tape-worm. 



* Greenish, H. G., A texbook of materia medica, page 122. 



