778 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



bitter infusion, and that its sensible properties indicate consider- 

 able activity. According to the same authority, it is employed 

 by the Javanese as an anthelmintic. Dr. Pulney Andy reports 

 that a decoction of the root is employed in labours to increase 

 uterine contractions (Ph. Ind.). " But we have no evidence of 

 its efficacy in such cases." (Dymock). 



According to Rumphius, the juice of the leaves is instilled 

 into the eyes by the natives of India and Java, as a remedy for 

 the removal of opacities of the cornea. 



In Bombay, most of the labourers who come from the Southern 

 Concan keep a small supply of the root, which they value as a 

 remedy in painful affections of the bowels. In the Concan, the 

 root with Aristolochia indica is given in cholera, in colic, 1 part 

 of the root with 2 parts of Holarrhena root and 3 parts of 

 Jatropha curcas root is given in milk. In fever the root with 

 Andrographis, ginger and black salt is used. The dose of the 

 combined drugs in each case is from 3 to four tolas (Dymock;. 



The authors of the Pharmacographia India write : — 



The roots examined by us reduced to fine powder lost 7*18 per cent., when 

 dried at 100° C. The ash amounted to 7'89 per cent, and was of a light chocolate 

 colour containing a marked amount of iron and a trace of manganese. On 

 analysis the following results were obtained. 



Petroleum ether extract ... ,.. '64 per cent. 



Ether „ ... ... *346 



Alcoholic „ ... ... 3-936 



Aqueous „ ... ... 11*38 „ 



The petroleum ether extract was oily, yellow, and possessed an odour like 

 that of a mixture of cedar and musk. On standing arborescent crystals 

 separated ; in alcohol the extract was partly soluble with acid reaction the 

 insoluble residue was oily and contained a trace of a wax. The extract 

 afforded marked indication of the presence of an alkaloidal principle. 



The ether extract was hard and had the same odour as the petroleum ether 

 extract, but in a less marked degree. Treated with water a slightly bitter 

 solution was obtained, which gave no reaction with ferric salts ; by the action 

 of dilute sulphuric acid an intensely bitter solution was obtained which 

 contained an alkaloid. A yellow resin was also present. 



The alcoholic extract was brittle, yellowish brown and intensely bitter. 

 A solution in alcohol exhibited a very marked greenish fluorescence. In cold 

 water the extract was partly soluble with slight fluorescence, and very bitter : 

 forric salts gave no colour reaction. The alcoholic extract was treated with 

 dilute sulphuric acid and the turbid acid solution agitated with chloroform 



