FRUITS. 
199 
green or brownish green, glandular-hairy, entire, 10 to 
14 mm. long, 7 to 11 mm. broad, with acute apex and 
rounded base, frequently infolded on one side and 
inclosing a subglobular, liglit-brown, very glandular 
achene ; the seed with two flat, spirally coiled cotyle- 
dons and without a reserve layer ; odor aromatic ; 
taste bitter. 
Constituents. — Volatile oil about 07 per cent, and 
containing valerol, which upon oxidation yields iso- 
valerianic acid, giving to the drug its characteristic 
odor; a crystalline, bitter principle lupamaric acid; 
tannin about 5 per cent. ; resin 10 to 15 per cent. ; cal- 
cium oxalate, and ash about 10 per cent. 
COLOCYNTHIS (Bitter Apple). 
The fruit of Citrullus Colocynthis (Fam. Cucurbita- 
cese), a perennial herbaceous vine indigenous to warm, 
dry regions of Africa and Asia, and cultivated in the 
northwestern provinces of India and the countries 
bordering the Mediterranean. The fruit is collected 
in autumn when ripe, and after removal of the epicarp 
by paring, is quickly dried in the sun or by artificial 
means. The commercial supplies are obtained from 
Turkey and Spain, the finer grade coming from Turkey. 
The seeds should be removed from the pulp before it 
is used. 
Description. — Berry nearly globular, 6 to 7 cm. in 
diameter; light; externally yellowish white; internally, 
with three longitudinal, somewhat elliptical fissures 
8 to 14 mm. wide; seeds numerous, ovoid, compressed, 
yellowish green, and borne on the divided parietal 
placentae between the fissures; odor slight; taste bitter. 
Constituents. — A bitter, amorphous glucoside colo- 
cynthin, about 0'5 per cent. ; fixed oil in pulp about 
3 per cent., and in seeds about 15 per cent. ; ash about 
10 per cent, in pulp and about 3 per cent, in the seeds. 
