n. o. asclepiadej:. 
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 diaphoratie 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 It has, however, been superseded by the 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 found 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 nentral acetate of lead or caustic 
potash, and is turned greenish-black by peroholoride 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 hydroohlorate. The solution of the alkaloid is precipited 
by tannin, iodine in potassium iodide, potassio-merouric iodide, perchloride of 
mercury, picric acid, volatile and fixed alkalies. The alkaloid in a free state 
is very soluble in ether and alcohol, but 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, Or! O r a dirty violet. The leaves afford 15 per cent, of mineral matter. 
(Pharmacographia Indies, Vol. II, pp. 489-440.) 
