August 6, 1870.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
105 
almost inert. It is not impossible that, in tliis in¬ 
stance also, due regard was not had to the season at 
which it was collected. 
The root of A&clepias curassavica, L., called ‘ Bas¬ 
tard Ipecacuanha,’ introduced into India, certainly 
has a reputation in the West Indies and elsewhere 
as an emetic. Its use appears, however, to be' at¬ 
tended by disadvantages, such as powerful action on 
the bowels, which would militate against its regular 
use. 
Besides these, Dmnia extensa , It. Br., -and the 
leaves of Hoya viridijiora , It. Br., enjoy a reputa¬ 
tion amongst the natives as emetics, but they do not 
.appear to have been efficiently tested. 
Finally, the root and leaves of Tylophora asthma - 
tica, W. and A., have been strongly recommended, 
and tills is probably the safest and best of all the 
remedies here enumerated. The leaves are included 
hi the new ‘ Pharmacopoeia of India ’ as a primary 
.article, and the evidence goes to show that they are 
an excellent substitute for ipecacuanha. 
This plant is the Asclepias asthmatica of Box- 
burg] i, and the Gynanchum of other authors. It is 
called ‘ Unto-mool ’ in Bengali, ‘ Kaka-pulla ’ of the 
Teloogoos, and the ‘ C-odegam’ or 4 Coorinja’ of the 
Tamils. In the Mauritius it is known as 4 Ipeca du 
pays,’ or 4 Ipeca sauvage.’ It is a twining plant, 
from 6 to 12 feet in height, with opposite, ovate- 
roundisli, acuminate leaves, which are cordate at 
the base, smooth above and downy beneath; the pe¬ 
duncles are short, with two or three sessile, few- 
flowered umbels; the flowers are rather large, on 
long pedicels, externally pale green, with a faint 
tinge of purple, internally light purple. 
This is a very abundant and widely diffused plant 
in India, being to be met with in nearly all situa¬ 
tions, and in flower at all seasons. Is very liable to 
variation, so as to be difficult to characterize, but 
may be readily known from an allied species by the 
reddish or dull pink flowers and the toothed leaflets 
-of the crown. 
The root is sold in the bazaars in thick, contorted 
pieces of a pale colour, and a bitterish, somewhat 
nauseous taste. 
The dried leaves are from two to three inches in 
length, entire, ovate-roundisli, acuminate at the 
apex, cordate at the base. The older or lower leaves 
are scarcely acuminate, and rather rounded than 
cordate at the base. They have rather a glaucous 
appearance, with a heavy, disagreeable smell when 
bruised, and a nauseous taste. 
Dr. Kirkpatrick, after remarking that the powdered 
root and juice are used by the people of Mysore as 
an emetic, adds, 44 1 have administered this medicine 
in at least a thousand cases, and found it most valu¬ 
able. In dysentery, and as a simple emetic, it is ill 
every way comparable with ipecacuanha. The dose 
is from twenty to thirty grains, with half a grain, or 
a grain, of tartar emetic, if strong emesis is required. 
If the dysentery distinctly arise from intermittent 
disease, quinine is conjoined. The form of the 
medicine I use is the powder of the dry leaf. If the 
root were used, the supply would soon be exhausted; 
besides, I have found it less certain than the leaf. 
The preparation of the juice would at all times be 
troublesome and tedious. In catarrhal and chronic 
coughs it seems to act well. Its efficiency as a sub¬ 
stitute for ipecacuanha, not only as a simple emetic 
but as a remedy in dysentery, asthma, and catarrhal 
affections, is confirmed by the report of Dr. Oswald, 
Mr. Moocleen Sheriff, and others. According to the 
latter, the best treatment of snake-bites consists in 
producing free emesis by the expressed juice of this 
plant, and following up its use with diffusible stimu¬ 
lants.” 
Roxburgh says that 44 on the coast of Coromandel 
the roots have often been used as a substitute for 
ipecacuanha. I have often prescribed it myself, 
and always found it answer as well as I could ex¬ 
pect ipecacuanha to do. I have also often had very 
favourable reports of its effects from others. It was 
a very useful medicine with our Europeans who 
were unfortunately prisoners with Hyder Adi during 
the war of 1780-3. In a pretty large dose it an¬ 
swered as an emetic, in smaller doses often repeated, 
as a cathartic, and in both ways very effectually.” 
Other authors add that the natives employ the root 
as an emetic by rubbing upon a stone three or four 
inches of the fresh root, and mixing it with a little 
water for a dose. It generally purges at the same 
time. 
The leaves are considered preferable to the root, 
—in fact, the leaves only are recommended, in the 
Pharmacopoeia of India. The dose there stated is,— 
as an emetic, from five-and-twenty to thirty grains 
of the powder of the dried leaves, conjoined with 
half a grain or a grain of tartar emetic; as a diapho¬ 
retic and expectorant, from three to five grains, thrice 
daily, or oftener, combined with opium, and other 
remedies of the same class. It is also stated on the 
authority of the same work, that this is one of the best 
indigenous (Indian) substitutes for ipecacuanha. It 
is easy enough to obtain this drug from India, and 
it certainly seems worthy of consideration whether 
it should not also be fairly tried in this country. 
OPHELIA CHIRAYTA. 
BY FLUCKIGER AND HOHN. 
This plant is little known in Europe, and is not 
much used even in England, although it has a place 
in the British Pharmacopoeia of 1867, as well as in 
that of the United States of 1866. But in India 
Cliirayta has long been in high repute, and it is 
generally sold in the bazaars. It is also mentioned 
among the large number of medicinal agents com- 
