10-30 grains. The starchy matter is administered in ghee, or with molasses, or in sugar and water, or in milk. This information is collected from the works of Dr. Tribhuvandas Motichand Shah of Junagadh and Pandit Jaya Krishna Indraji of Porebundar. (1909-1910).
In a paper, entitled "A note on some Indian Drugs," with exhibits of medicinal preparations, read before the section of Pharmacology of the 2nd Session of the International Medical Congress of Australasia, held at Melbourne (Victoria) in January 1889, Surgeon K. R. Kirtikar made the following observations on T. cordifolia (Gulwel or garola). The preparation exhibited was a powder of the dried stem of the plant prepared by the late Mr. M. C. Pariera of Bandra, who was for a long time connected with the Government Medical Stores of Bombay, under the late Brigade-Surgeon W. Dymock. Surgeon Kirtikar said as follows:—"The powder of the stem is used in making an infusion in the proportion of one ounce of the powder to ten fluid ounces of cold water. The medicinal value of the plant is due to a small quantity of Berberine. It is used as an alterative and tonic, and has enjoyed the reputation among ancient Hindu writers of being an aphrodisiac; but as a drug it being never prescribed alone as an aphrodisiac, its reputation as such is of a doubtful nature. The dose of the infusion is one to three ounces. There is a starch obtained from the roots and stems of the plant which goes under the name Gulweliche-satwa (the starch of Gulwel), which is similar to Arrow-root in appearance and effect. It answers not only as a remedial medicinal agent in chronic diarrhœa and some forms of obstinate chronic dysentery, but it is also a valuable nutrient, when there is intestinal irritability and inability to digest any kind of food. I have myself had experience of the usefulness of this starch. Dr. Dymock says 'through not having been washed, the starch has been found to retain some of the bitterness of the plant.' I have several times tasted the starch myself and have not found it bitter to any appreciable degree, probably from the fact that my specimens were different from those of Dr. Dymock (and perhaps fresh and better-washed); but I have no doubt that the starch has some medicinal property
