1104 
INDIAN MEDICINAL I'LANTS. 
cence more or less pubescent, sometimes almost glabrous. 
Leaves subterminal on branches, alternate, 3-6in., thin oblong 
glabrous above, sparingly pubescent beneath ; tip acute, obtuse 
or rounded ; nerves 8-10 or 12 pair, joined by finely reticulate 
veins. Petiole j-2in. long. Flowers in umbels, corymbose or 
racemose, usually long pedicelled, few or many, £in. before 
opening, white or yellowish ; perianth very incomplete, or 0. 
Pedicels clustered on a stout or slender common Peduncle, |-3in. 
long. Bracts 4, more or less tomentose. Stamens 9-20 or more, 
filaments clothed with long, soft hairs. Fruit jin. diam., pea- 
sized, globose, on the small thickened perianth-tube. 
Uses : — The feebly balsamic, mucilaginous bark is one of the 
best known and most popular of native drugs. Dymock states 
that it does not appear to have been mentioned by Sanskrit 
writers, and is only briefly noticed in Muhammadan works. 
He considers it probable that the drug has been adopted 
by Muhammadan physicians in India as a substitute for an 
Arabian drug, called Maghath, the botanical source of which 
is uncertain. At the present time it is largely employed as a 
demulcent and mild astringent in diarrrhoea and dysentery. 
According to Irvine, it is also esteemed as an aphrodisiac in 
Patna. Fresh ground, it is used either dry, or triturated in 
water or milk, as an emollient application to bruises, and as a 
styptic dressing for wounds. It is also supposed to be anodyne, 
and to act as a local antidote to the bites of venomous animals. 
The oil from the berries is used in rheumatism ; the leaves 
are mucilaginous and have a pleasant odour of cinnamon 
(Watt). 
Chem. comp . — This bark, an authentic specimen of which was supplied 
by Mr. Hollingsworth of the Madras Medical College, gave, on an air- 
dried sample, 4'6 per cent, of ash, aud 14 2 per cent, of alcoholic extract, 
affording very strong reactions with alkaloidal tests. On separating the 
alkaloid, it was found to agree with the characters of Laurotetaoine, an 
alkaloid which has been discovered by M. Greshoff in three species of Litsrea 
in Java, and in several other plants of the natural order Laurinese. Lauro- 
tetanine is crystalline, and has a strong tetanic action on animals ; it is 
sparingly soluble in- ether, more readily in chloroform. It is precipitated by 
sodium carbonate from solutions of its salts, but readily redissolves in an 
excess of potash or soda, and is precipitated by the usual alkaloidal reagents. 
