K. O. ASCLEPIADEiE}. 829 



of the black doctors much more successful than his own, 

 acknowledged, with his usual candour, that he was not ashamed 

 to take instruction from them, which he pursued with good suc- 

 cess; and collecting a quantity of the plant which they pointed 

 out to him, he sent a large package of the roots to Madras. It 

 is certainly an article of the Hindu Materia Medica highly 

 deserving attention." 



" In the Concan, 1 to 2 tolas of the juice are given as an 

 emetic ; it is also dried and made into pills which are adminis- 

 tered in dysentry " (Dymock). 



[The root of this plant, which is met with in the bazaars in 

 the form of thick contorted pieces of a pale colour, and a 

 bitterish, somewhat nauseous, taste, has long been known to 

 possess diaphoratic and emetic properties, and its efficacy in 

 dysentery is asserted by Dr. J. Anderson (Roxburgh, Flor. 

 Ind., vol. ii , p. 34). Its value has also been confirmed by Sir 

 W. O'Shaughnessy. It has, however, been superseded by the 

 dried leaves, the operation of which has been fourid more 

 uniform and certain. It may be regarded as one of the best 

 indigenous (Indian) substitutes for Ipecacuanha.] 



Dr. Bidie considers that, like Ipecacuanha and Tartar Emetic, 

 it acts as a specific emetic, exciting vomiting after absorption, 

 by its action on the vagus. 



A concentrated infusion of the leaves has a slightly acrid taste. It is 

 abundantly precipitated by tannic acid by neutral acetate of lead or caustic 

 potash, and is turned greenish-black by percholoride of iron. Broughton of 

 Ootacamund obtained from a large quantity of leaves a small amount of 

 crystals — insufficient for analysis. Dissolved and injected into a small dog 

 they occasioned purging and vomiting, 



A re-examination of the drug by one of us (D. H.) shows that both the 

 leaves and root contained an alkaloid, Tylophorine, which is crystalline and 

 forms a crystalline hydrochlorate. The solution of the alkaloid is precipited 

 by tannin, iodine in potassium iodide, potassio-mercuric iodide, perchloride of 

 mercury, picric acid, volatile and fixed alkalies. The alkaloid in a free state 

 is very soluble in ethet? and alcohol, bat only partially in water. With 

 sulphuric acid it dissolves with a reddish colour changing to green and indigo. 

 With HN0 3 it dissolves with a purplish red colour. 



Frohde's regent gives a deep sap-green solution. Sulphuric acid and 

 K 2 Cr 2 7 a dirty violet. The leaves afford 15 per cent, of mineral matter. 



(Pharmacographia Indica, Vol. II, pp. 439-440.) 



