172      Materia  Jledica  of  the  Mexican  Pharmacopoeia.  {Xm^;  g£rm- 
medicinally.  The  experiments  of  Dr.  Hidalgo  Carpio  upon  different 
animals  have  shown  that  tevetosin  is  a  very  active  poison  in  doses  of 
0*05  gin. ,  and  that  it  acts  as  a  violent  emetic  and  paralyzes  the  respi- 
ratory and  other  related  muscles.  The  seeds  bruised  and  kneaded 
together  with  suet,  are  popularly  employed  for  the  cure  of  j3iles — a 
dangerous  remedy. 
Zabila,  Aloe  variegata,  Lin.;  Liliacea?,  in  S.  Angel,  etc.  The  juice 
of  the  leaves  is  drastic  and  anthelmintic,  and,  according  to  Prof.  F. 
Llamas,  contains  barbaloin,  bitter  resin,  volatile  oil,  albumin,  gum,  etc. 
Zacatlascale,  Cuscuta  americana,  Lin.;  Convolvulacea?.  Aperitive 
and  laxative ;  also  used  for  dyeing  yellow. 
Zanahoria.  the  cultivated  root  of  Daucus  Carota,  Lin.;  for  emollient 
cataplasms. 
Zapote  bianco,  Casimiroa  edulis,  La  Llave  et  Lejarza  ;  in  Central 
Mexico.    The  fruit  is  anthelmintic  and  comestible. 
Zapote  borracho,Lucuma  salicifolia.  Kunth;  Sapotacese;  inMorelos. 
The  fruit  is  comestible  and  is  supposed  to  possess  soporific  properties ; 
the  seeds  are  used  in  pleurisy. 
Zapote  prieto,  Diospyros  obtusifolia,  Willdenov: ;  Ebenacea? ;  in 
Cuernavaca  and  other  hot  districts.  The  leaves  are  astringent,  the 
bark  is  antiperiodic  and  the  fruit  comestible. 
Zapotillo,  Sapota  Achras,  Miller;  Sapotaceae;  in  hot  and  moist  lo- 
calities. The  bark  is  antiperiodic,  the  fruit  alimentary,  and  the  seeds 
are  used  as  a  diuretic  and  are  believed  to  be  poisonous.  The  plant 
yields  a  substance  resembling  gutta  percha  which  is  known  as  u  chicle 
virgen,"  and  is  used  as  a  masticatory  and  for  filling  carious  teeth. 
Zaragatona,  the  seeds  of  Plantago  Psyllium  Lin.;  mucilaginous. 
Zarzamora,  Blackberry.    The  leaves  are  astringent. 
Zarzaparrilla.  In  the  city  of  Mexico  the  roots  of  Smilax  medica, 
Schlechtendal,  are  exclusively  employed. 
Zazale,  Mentzelia  hispida,  Willdenoic ;  Loasacea?;  in  the  Mexican 
valley,  etc.  The  root  is  a  pretty  efficient  drastic;  the  decoction  is 
taken  as  an  antiblennorrhaoic.  Jaure^ui  found  in  it  a  dark  brown 
bitter  resinous  acid,  fat,  gum,  sugar,  starch,  etc. 
Zedoaria.    Rarely  used  in  medicine. 
Zempoalxochitl,  Tagetes  erecta  Lin,;  Compositae.  The  flowers  are 
stomachic,  febrifuge,  anthelmintic  and  aperitive ;  the  fruit  is  purga- 
tive and  vermifuge.  The  plant  contains  volatile  oil  and  probably  the 
same  principles  which  have  been  found  by  Latour  in  Tagetes  patula, 
