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PHARMACOGNOSY. 
berine, columbic acid, starcli about 35 per cent., calcium 
oxalate, mucilage, and 6 per cent, of ash. 
Substitutes. — Various substitutes for calumba have 
been offered, but these are free from starch, or they 
may contain tannin, as American columbo, the root of 
Frasera Carolinensis, an herb indigenous to the Eastern 
United States. 
PAREIRA (Pareira Brava). 
The root of Chondrodendron tomentosum (Fam. Meni- 
spermacese), a perennial climber indigenous to Brazil 
and Peru. The commercial article is exported from 
Rio Janeiro. 
Description. — Nearly cylindrical, more or less tor- 
tuous, cut into pieces of various lengths, usually from 
10 to 20 cm. long and 10 to 30 mm. in diameter, root- 
lets few ; externally brownish black, longitudinally 
furrowed and transversely ridged and fissured, with 
numerous rootlet scars and occasional grayish patches 
of lichens ; fracture fibrous, lustrous when cut ; inter- 
nally dark brown, with three or more irregularly 
excentral, distinctly radiate zones of secondary fibro- 
vascular bundles, each 2 to 3 mm. wide, and sepa- 
rated by distinct zones of parenchyma and stone 
cells; odor slight; taste slightly bitter. 
Constituents. — An alkaloid pelosine (cissampeline) 
somewhat resembling beberine in bebeeru bark (Nec- 
tandra Rodiaei) and buxine in box bark ( Buxus seviper- 
virens ) ; starch, tannin, wax, ash 4 to 5 per cent. 
Substitutes. — Other roots are frequently substituted 
for genuine pareira brava, which are no doubt derived 
from other menispermaceous plants ; these roots are of 
a brownish color, possess numerous concentric zones 
of fibrovascular bundles, and do not have a waxy 
luster when cut. The stems of Chondrodendron tomen- 
