Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/245

Rh cell. Carpels numerous, ultimately separating from a short torus. Seed solitary in each carpel, ascending.

Parts used: — The flowers, carpels, leaves and root.

Uses: — The Mahomedans describe it as a suppurative and emollient; they use the leaves as a poultice and for fomentations; mixed with oil, the leaves and flowers are applied to burns and parts bitten by venomous reptiles. The root boiled with sugar is prescribed in coughs and irritable condition of the intestines and bladder. The decoction is also used as an emollient enema, and in making ointments (DYMOCK.)

The root should be gathered in the autumn from plants not less than two years old.

Emollient cataplasms are prepared from the rounded root.

The root -contains a little starch, nearly twenty per cent of gum or mucilage, some uncrystallizable sugar, and a crystallizable principle, besides other unimportant constituents. The mucilage lies like the fecula in small cells, in the form of minute grains, which may be obtained pure by washing the chopped root in rectified spirit, and allowing them to subside. A yellowish white powder is thus procured, consisting of microscopic transparent grains, which seem intermediate between true gum and perfect starch. The crystalline principle "althaein " seems to be identical with the "asparagin " of asparagus. (Sowerby's English Botany.)

Betaine can be obtained from the aqueous extract of the root of Althœa officinalis after removing the asparagine by precipitating it with nitric acid and sodium phosphomolybdate; the free base obtained by treating the precipitate with barium hydroxide forms colourless crystals, is soluble in water and alcohol, and insoluble in ether. The hydrochloride is easily crystallised, and does not change on exposure to the air. With potassium dichromate solution and hydrochloric acid, betaine does not exhibit any colour reaction. It is precipitated by picric acid, zinc chloride, and auric chloride, but not by tannin; the aurochloride, C5H11NO2,HAuCl4, crystallises in microscopic plates, or in short crystals arranged in the form of a cross.

J. Ch. S, Vol. 76 part I. p. 4.

Vern.: — The same as for A. officinalis, Linn.

Eng:— Holly-hock.