Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1885. 
Semen  Cedronis. 
675 
At  the  same  timej  leucin  and  tyrosiii  are  formed  from  these  proteids ; 
they  are  found  in  the  juice  as  well. 
I  must  thank  Messrs.  Christy  &  Co.  for  their  kindness  in  supplying 
me  with  specimens  of  papain,  and  of  dried  papa w  juice. — Phar.  Jour, 
and  Trans.,  Aug.  8,  1885,  p.  129. 
SEMEN  CEDRONIS. 
By  C.  Hartwich. 
Several  genera  of  the  family  Simarube^e  are  distinguished  by  the 
large  quantity  they  contain  of  intensely  bitter  substances,  which,  so 
far  as  is  known,  may  be  all  identical  with  or  nearly  allied  to  the  more 
exactly  investigated  quassiin.  It  is  to  the  presence  of  these  substances 
that  is  due  almost  exclusively  the  medicinal  use  of  different  parts  of 
these  plants,  especially  in  former  days,  and  which  is  still  tolerably 
wide  spread  in  the  present  time.  For  instance,  the  wood  from  Picroena 
excelsa,  Lindl.,  and  Quassia  amara^  L.,  are  used,  and  the  root  bark  of 
Simaymha  officinalis,  DC.,^  and  8.  medicinalis,  Endl.  According  to 
Fremi,  the  flowers  also  of  the  Quassia  amara  are  in  favor  with  the 
natives  as  a  remedy  against  disorders  of  the  stomach.^  Further, 
Fliickiger  has  referred  to  the  high  quassiin  contents  of  the  seeds  of 
Samadera  indica,  Gaertn.,  without,  however,  mentioning  any  medici- 
nal use  of  them.  In  Brazil  the  freshly  pressed  juice  of  Simaruba  ver- 
sicolor, S.  Hil.,  is  used  as  a  remedy  against  skin  parasites.^  Further, 
in  the  same  country  the  fruit  of  Simaba  Waklivia  enjoys  a  great  repu- 
tation on  account  of  its  healing  action. 
To  this  latter  genus  belongs  also  the  Simaba.  Cedron,  Planch. yield- 
ing the  seeds  that  are  the  subject  of  the  present  note,  which  have  long 
been  known  and  formerly  enjoyed  an  unmerited  reputation,  but  after- 
wards fell  almost  into  oblivion.  These  seeds  have  again  recently  fre- 
quently appeared  in  commerce  as  a  remedy  in  stomachic  disorders. 
Their  reputation  in  former  times  was  due  to  the  beneficial  action  attri- 
buted to  them  in  fevers  and  snake-bites.  In  the  latter  respect  it  is 
even  now  believed  in  Costa  Rica  that  they  not  only  have  a  healing 
'  The  bark  of  this  tree  is  used  in  British  Guiana  for  tanning. 
2  "  Pharmacognosie,"  2d  ed.,  p.  461. 
3  '  Jahresbericht,"  1880,  p.  35. 
*  In  Brazil  tlie  seed  of  Stmaha  ferruginea^  St.  Hil.,  is  called  "  cedron  " 
("  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,"  Feb.,  1880). 
