Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/109

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N. O. BOARGINEÆ.
850


Use : — It is used like C. obliqua, Willd.

Chemical composition —The pulp of the fruit of C. obliqua freed from seeds had the following composition : —

Per cent.
Moisture 12.85
Extracted by hot water 64.25
Sugar (by copper estimation) 29.76
Acidity neutralizing Na HO 0.23
Alkalinity of ash as KHO 3.06
Total ash 8.85
Ash in insoluble residue 1.52

The alcoholic extract solution in water gave no indication of an alkaloid, and was not rendered turbid with lime water. Sebesten plums appear to have properties similar to prunes, as they exert a gentle laxative action when taken in any quantity.

A decoction of the hark of G. Myxa was not affected by iodine solution. and was only slightly turned green by ferric chloride. The alcoholic extract contained some white, transparent crystals belonging to the square prismatic system. They had no peculiar taste, were neutral in reaction and unaffected by alkaloidal reagents and the stronger mineral acids. The aqueous extract was dark-coloured, free from bitterness, and substance like cathartin was precipitated from it by six volumes of alcohol. Nothing was found in the bark to account for its reputed tonic action. Some simple crystals of calcium oxalate were present, and the reduction of this salt to carbonate, by burning, contributed largely to the 12.75 per cent, of ash.


812. C. Rothii, Rœm. and Sch. h.f.b.i., iv. 138.

Syn : — C. angustifolia, Roxb. 198.

Vern. : — Gondi, gondni (H.) ; Liar, liáli, (Sind.) ; Narvilli (Tam.) ; Gondani (Mar.); Gondni, gundi (Bomb.) ; Gandi Guz.)

Habitat : — West India, from the Punjab, Hurdwar and Scinde to Malabar.

A small or middle-sized tree, attaining 30ft. " Bark grey or brownish grey, with deep longitudinal furrows. Wood compact, hard ; sapwood yellowish ; heartwood brown, streaked in different shades. The bark when wounded yields a gum, and the liber is made into ropes " (Gamble). " The bands of wood-parenchyma broad, heartwood not scented, " says Brandis. Leaves nearly opposite, cuneate-oblong, entire, stellate-pubescent beneath, rough above ; pinnate nerves, 4-6 pairs ; rather ; obscure ;