62 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



bitter; specific gravity 0.911. It boils at 228°, is slightly 

 soluble in water, and soluble in absolute alcohol. It is 

 promptly oxidized by nitric acid, and is converted into pelar- 

 gonic acid and other fatty acids. 



Rutin (or rutinic acid), according to Weiss, is a glucoside 

 which exists in the form of fine needles, bright yellow in color. 

 It is slightly soluble in cold water and more so in boiling 

 water. It melts at 190°, and solidifies at freezing point, 

 forming a resinous mass. Its physiological properties are as 

 yet unknown. The part of the plant employed is the leaves, 

 which owe their property, apparently, to the essential oil they 

 contain, from which they also derive their strong and disagree- 

 able odor and their bitter, acrid and nauseous taste. 



It is used principally as a uterine stimulant or emmena- 

 gogue, for which purpose it is given in doses of 0.10-0.15 cen- 

 tigrams of the freshly powdered leaf and 0.05-0.10 centigrams 

 of the fresh leaves infused in a liter of water. The dry pow- 

 der of the leaf should not be used because the essential oil vol- 

 atilizes and a large proportion of it is lost,, which is the most 

 active principle of the drug. It is an agent which should be pre- 

 scribed with the greatest prudence for large doses are poison- 

 ous even to the point of causing death. The symptoms following 

 such doses are colic, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and tenesmus. 



It is also used as an antihemorrhagic after childbirth, but its 

 action is slow, not being felt for several hours after the admin- 

 istration of the drug ; for this reason it cannot take the place of 

 ergot, though it seems to be superior to the latter in passive 

 hemorrhages. The essential oil is given internally in doses of 

 2-6 drops on a piece of sugar. It is sometimes used as an an- 

 tispasmodic in hysteria, epilepsy and chorea. 



The Chinese make extensive use of this drug and it is one of 

 their principal abortives. In Hindostan the dried leaves are 

 burnt and the smoke inhaled as a cure for catarrh in children. 

 They are careful not to administer it to pregnant women. 



