Leadwort root, root of Cissampelos Pareira, Picrorrhiza kurroa,[1] Aconitum heterophyllum,[1] and Terminalia Chebula in dose of 4 grams a day.
Dr. Oswald has employed the alcoholic tincture of leadwort in the intermittents, with satisfactory results, and claims that it is a powerful diaphoretic.[2] The mashed root is mixed with rice flour and made into a caustic paste to apply to buboes, destroy warts, etc. Women also use the scraped root to induce abortion, introducing it through the vagina into the os uteri. This practice should be strongly condemned on account of its dangerous consequences—metritis, peritonitis and often death.
The chemical composition of the root has been studied by Dulong.[3] It includes a non-nitrogenous principle, plumbagin, existing in the form of orange-yellow needles, bitter, acrid, volatile, neutral, slightly soluble in cold water, more soluble in ether, alcohol and hot water. The aqueous solution becomes cherry-red on the addition of an alkali, which color is changed to yellow by acids. Basic acetate of lead causes the same color change.
Botanical Description.—Plant with stem declined, angular. Leaves lanceolate, entire, rather downy. Petioles at their base embrace the stem. Flowers white, in axillary spikes. Individual involucres, 3 oval leaflets, the lower larger. Calyx long, cleft almost to the base in 5 lineal parts thickly set with small glands, exuding a sticky gum. Corolla salver-shaped, the tube long, square, throat bare, limb divided into 5 obovate parts, ending in stylets. Stamens 5, inserted near the base of the corolla, almost as long as the tube. Style a little shorter than the stamens. Stigma, 5 parts. One long seed enclosed within the calyx, pentangular, covered with a membranaceous skin.
Habitat.—In Tanauan (Batangas).
Sapotaceæ.
Sapodilla Family.
Achras Sapota, L.
Nom. Vulg.—Chico, Sp.-Fil.; Tsiku, Tag.
Uses.—The chico is one of the popular fruits of the Philippines, much appreciated by Europeans as well as the natives. When not entirely ripe it yields a resinous juice that sticks to the lips and affords a disagreeable taste; but when once thoroughly ripe it has a slightly vinous, sweetish taste and is easily digested. Therapeutically its seeds are used as a diuretic, but large doses should be avoided as they contain a small proportion of hydrocyanic acid. The proper dose is 5–6 mashed seeds in sweetened water. They contain, in addition to the above, a fatty substance of the consistency of butter.