70 
INDIAN MEMOINAI, PLANTS. 
Chemistry . — 
The constituents of P. Emodi arc identical with those of P. Pcltatum. 
Crystallino podophyllotoxin C 16 H w 0 0 . 2H 2 0, when acted on by aqueous alkalis, 
is converted into the isomeric picropodophyllin. The formula of podophyllic 
acid is C 16 H,„0 7 . There is also a yellow coloring matter C 15 H 10 O 7 , which is 
identical with tho quercetin. 
Podophyllo-resin has the formula CjjIIuO^. 
Podophyllin is as valuable a purgative as tho podophyllin obtained from 
P. pcltatum. Tho action of this resinous mixturo is duo partly to tho 
podophyllotoxin it contains, and partly to the active podophyllo-resin. Owing 
to its intensely irritating action internally, even when given in small doses, 
podophyllotoxin is unsuitable as a medicinal substitute for podophyllin, whilst 
podophyllo-resin would seem to present no therapeutic advantage as compared 
with the podophyllin now employed. Picropodophyllin, picropodophyllic acid, 
and the quercetin are very slightly, if at all, active as purgatives. Since 
P. Emodi furnishes more podophyllin than P. pcltatum, the Indian plant is of 
greater value as the source of this resin,— J. Ch. S T. 1898, p. 209. 
N. 0. N YMPHiECEiE.'/ : ' 
53. Nymphceti alba, Linn, h.f.b.i. i. 114. 
Vern ■ : — Brimposh, nilofar ; Kamud ; (Kashmir). Pandha- 
ren Kamal (Bomba}'). 
Habitat : — Kashmir lake, alt. 5,300 ft. Bombay tanks and 
wayside still water-courses. 
An aquatic creeper. Root-stock creeping under water. 
Leaves floating on water-surface, cordate, quite entire, 5-10 in. 
diam., suborbiculate, lobes contiguous. Flowers a foot or 6 in. 
above water, white on a green peduncle, expanding at sunrise 
and closing at sunset. Sepals 4 linear or ovate-oblong ; nerves 
reticulate. Petals 10* outer linear-oblong, equalling the sepals. 
Anthers without appendages. Stigmatic rays about 16, with 
cylindric appendages. Pollen echinate. Seeds minute, numer- 
ous, buried in a mucilaginous pulp, edible. Fruit, a spongy 
berry, opening under water. 
Parts used The Root-stock, flowers and fruit. 
Uses : — The mucilaginous and somewhat acrid root and 
stock are administered in some countries for dysentery. Ac- 
cording to O’Shaughnessy it is astringent and slightly nar- 
cotic. Its flowers are reputed to be anti-aphrodisiac. An 
infusion of the flower and fruit is given in diarrhoea and as a 
diaphoretic. (Stewart). 
