N. 0. BIGNONIACE/E. 941 



In otorrhoea, the use of an oil has been recommended in 

 Sanskrit medicine, prepared by boiling a paste made of the 

 root-bark with sesamun oil (Dutt). 



The Gonds employ a decoction of the bark as a discutient 

 application to rheumatic swellings. The powder and infu- 

 sion of the bark are diaphoretic, and useful in acute rheu- 

 matism (I. M. G., 1895, p. m). 



Powder made from the bark along with hurdi, is a useful 

 cure for the sore-backs of horses (Gamble). 



Seeds purgative (J. J. Wood's Plants of Chutia Nagpur, p. 

 125). 



Chemical composition. — The bark has been examined by W. A. H. Naylor 

 and E. M. Chaplin with the following results : — 



A. One pound of the bark reduced to line powder was percolated to 

 exhaustion wit!) cold petroleum ether. The ether was distilled off, and the 

 residue, which weighed about 1*8 gram, possessed the characters of a soft 

 greenish-brown fat, having an acid reaction and a slightly acrid taste. It 

 was treated successively with ether and proof spirit, the former removed 

 vegetable wax, which was subsequently identified as such after re-solution 

 in limited quantities of ether and separation thereform. The latter on eva- 

 poration gave a brownish-yellow residue small in quantity and crystalline. 

 When further purified by extraction with ether and the ethereal residue by 

 benzol it was golden yellow, unctuous to the touch, and pronouncedly acrid. 

 Under the microscope it presented the appearance of long, wavy, branching 

 crystals, which dissolved readily in alcohol, chloroform ether, petroleum 

 ether, and benzol. 



B. The marc was next percolated with cold ether. After distilling off 

 the greater portion of the ether, and allowing the remainder to evaporate 

 spontaneously, a yellow mass studded with minute interlacing crystals 

 was obtained, which when airdried weighed about 4 grams. This product 

 was treated with boiling proof spirit and filtered while hot ; on cooling small 

 yellow crystals fell out of solution. When quite cold the crop of crystals 

 was collected and subjected to the action of boiling petroleum ether until 

 freed from every trace of fat. It was then crystallized from boiling proof spirit 

 until it had a constant melting point, and was no longer contaminated with 

 uncrystallizable matter. The resulting crystals were dried under the receiver 

 of an air-pump, and when constant weighed 0*9 gram. They were of a lemon 

 yellow colour, about | inch in length, and melted at 228*5°— 229° C. Alcohol, 

 ether, glacial acetic acid, and hot benzol dissolved them readily, but they 

 were practically insoluble in water hot or cold. The following reactions in 

 connection with this interesting body have been noted, of which the most 

 striking is its behaviour with the caustic alkalies. A minute quantity brought 

 into contact with one drop of a weak solution of sodium potassium or ammonium 



