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, th§ 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 
Conean keep a small supply of the root, which they value as a 
remedy in painful affections of the bowels. In the Conean, 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 t > 3'936 „ 
Aqueous „ '• ... ••• 11*88 „ 
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 flitorescence, 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 
