256 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



" The analogy between the medical properties of the root- 

 bark of T. aeuleata and those of the root of Berberis asiatica 

 and some other species of Berberi is very great. The former, 

 however, has one advantage over the latter, which is its pro- 

 curability in every large bazar of Southern India ; whereas, 

 the Indian Barberry-root requires to be sent for from some 

 hills and distant places, as the Nilgiris, Shevaroy Hills, Cal- 

 cutta, Delhi, etc" (Moodeen Sheriff.) 



In the Australasian Congress of 1889, held at Melbourne, 

 Surgeon-Major Kirtikar, in exhibiting the powder of the root, 

 said as follows : — "The plant (Jangli-kali-mirchi) has been re- 

 commended by Dr. Bidie of Madras as a bitter tonic in debility, 

 after malarial fevers, and in convalescence from exhausting 

 diseases. I have tried it in the malarial cachexia of fevers and 

 found that it acts as a good stomachic tonic, improving the 

 appetite, and aiding digestion. An infusion of the root-powder, 

 in the proportion of an ounce of the powder to ten fluid ounces 

 of boiling water, makes a capital preparation. Dose, one to two 

 ounces, twice or thrice daily. Four years ago, I obtained a few 

 pounds of the root from Dr. Dymock and tried it with great 

 advantage. The root contains a bitter principle, the exact 

 nature of which is yet unknown. It was once known in Europe 

 under the name of Lopez-root as a remedy for diarrhoea, pro- 

 bably from the large quantities of yellow resin which the vascu- 

 lar and cortical system contain. " The Bark," says Dr. Dymock, 

 " is remarkable for its large cells filled with resin and essential 

 oil." (P. 949, Proceedings of the Australasian Congress, Mel- 

 bourne, 1889.) 



The central woody portion, the inner bark, and the external yellow 

 powder of the root, were separately examined. 



Ten grams of the external yellow powder were digested for two hours 

 with 100 c.c. of boiling alcohol, filtered, and the residue again treated in 

 a similar manner. To the orange brown filtrate alcoholic lead acetate solu- 

 tion was added, drop by drop, as long as a colourless precipitate was formed, 

 and after this was removed by filtration, the filtrate was evaporated 

 to a small bulk and poured into five times its volume of dilute hydrochloric 

 acid. A viscous, yellow precipitate was thus obtained, which increased in 

 quantity on standing; this was collected upon calico, and after being rinsed 

 with cold, was digested with boiling water, the turbid, yellow liquid thus 

 obtained contained resinous matter in suspension, but this was readily 



