82 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



Rhamnus Wightii, W. & Arn. (Ceanothus Wightiana, Wall.; 

 R. CaroUduus, Blanco.) 



XoM. YuLCi. — Kabaiiti, Tag. 



Uses. — The dried trunk bark is the part employed in med- 

 icine. Hooper analyzed it in 1888 and found a crystalline 

 principle (0.47 fo), a brown resin (0.85), a red resin (1.15), a 

 bitter principle (1.23), sugar, starch, calcium, oxalate, etc. 



As the active principles exist in the resins, an alcoholic tinc- 

 ture of the latter is the best preparation for administration. In 

 India it is used as a tonic and an astringent. 



Botanical Description. — A small tree that grows near the 

 sea coast. Trunk 9-12° high, straight, many-branched, de- 

 void of thorns. Leaves alternate, ovate, acutely serrate, glab- 

 rous, short-petioled. Flowers greenish- white, axillary, perfect. 

 Calyx 5-toothed, inversely conical. Corolla, 5 petals, smaller 

 than the teeth of the calyx, oval, without claws, notched at the 

 apex. Disc fleshy, smooth, slightly concave. Stamens 5, hid- 

 den within the petals. Filaments flattened. Anthers rounded. 

 Ovary fleshy, inserted at the bottom of the calyx tube. Style 

 short. Stigmas 3, divergent. Fruit oval, its base adherent to 

 the calyx, 3 seeds. 



Habitat. — Batangas. Blooms in July and October. 



ANACARDIACEiG. 



Cashew Family. 

 Mangifera Indica, L. 



NoM. VuLG. — Manga. 



Uses. — The dried and pulverized kernel of the seed is used 

 as an anthelmintic in doses of l-J-2 grams both in India and 

 Brazil. The same preparation is used in the Philippines in 

 the treatment of dysentery and diarrhoea and its effect is doubt- 

 less due to the large quantity of tannin it contains. It is ad- 

 ministered as follows : The pounded kernels of 20-25 seeds are 



