876 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
The authors of the Parmaeographia say: -“By exhausting the seeds 
dried at 100° 0. with boiling ether, we obtained a thick light-brownish 
oil having an acrid taste and concreting below 18° C. The powdered seeds 
yielded of this oil 14'4 per cent. Water removes from the seeds a consider- 
able amount of mucilage, some albuminous matter, and a little tannic acid. 
The first is soluble to some extent in dilute spirit of wine, and may he 
precipitated therefrom by an alcoholic solution of acetate of lead. 
“ The active principle of Ealadana is a resin, soluble in alcohol, but 
neither in benzol nor in ether. From the residue of tho seeds after exhaus- 
tion by ether, treatment with absolute alcohol removed a pale yellowish 
resin in quantity equivalent to 8'2 per cent, of the seed. Ealadana resin, 
which has been introduced into medical practice in India under the name 
of Pharbitisin, lias a nauseous acrid taste and an unpleasant odour, espe- 
cially when heated. It melts at about 1 00” C. The following liquids dissolve 
it more or less freely, namely, spirit of wine, absolute alcohol, acetic acid, 
glacial acetic acid, acetone, acetic ether, methylic and amylic alcohol, and 
alkaline solutions. It is, on the other hand, insoluble in ether, benzol, 
chloroform, and sulphide of carbon. With concentrated sulphuric acid, it 
forms a brownish yellow solution, quickly assuming a violet hue. This 
reaction, however, requires, a very, small quantity of the powdered resin. 
If a solution of the resin in ammonia after having been kept a short time 
is acidulated, no precipitate is iormed ; but the solution is now capable of 
separating protoxide of copper from an alkaline solution of the tartrate, 
which originally it did not alter. Heated with nitric acid, the resin affords 
xebacic acid. 
“ From these reactions of Ealadana resin, we are entitled to infer that 
it agrees with the resin of jalap or Convolvulin. To prepare it in quantity, 
i£ would probably be best to treat the seeds with common acetic acid, and 
to precipitate it by neutralising the solution. We have ascertained that 
the resin is not decomposed when digested with glacial acetic acid at 100° 
0., even for a week. 
“ We have had the opportunity of examining a sample of Ealadana resin 
manufactured by Messrs. Rogers and Co., Chemists of Bombay and Poona, 
which we found to agree with that prepared by ourselves. It is a light 
yellowish friable mass, resembling purified jalap resin, and, like it, capable 
of being perfectly decolourised by treatment with animal charcoal.” (OP- 
cit., 2nd Ed., p. 449.) 
837 . I. uniflora , Roem and Sch., h.f.b.i., iv. 201 . 
Habitat : — Throught India, from Nepal and Khasia to 
Ceylon ; not common, more frequent in the Deccan Peninsula. 
A glabrescent twining herb with creeping stems. Leaves 
petioled, oblong, obtuse, entire. Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered. 
Outer sepals larger than the inner and decurrent on the pedicel. 
Corolla white, campauulate, hairy on the bands outside. Ovary 
