Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/494

414 is felt. Occasionally some small vesicles or pimples appear ; and if these be allowed to remain undisturbed they dry up, leaving a dark spot of pigmentary matter, which forms as it were a nucleus. From this point, as well as from the margin of the patch, pigmentary matters gradually develop which ultimately coalesce with each other, and thus the whole patch disappears. It is also remarkable that fresh patches are arrest- ed by its application (Ph. J., Sept. 24th, 1881). Extensively tried in Bombay by Bhao Daji and others as a remedy in leprosy, and, I believe, with some success- Several species of Psoralea have been used medicinally in America, and have been found to act as gently stimulating and tonic nervines. Tried in leprosy with a certain amount of success (Dymock.)

The seeds yield 20*15 per cent, of a thick, reddish-brown oil to ether.

Fat : Specific gravity at 100°, 0.9107 ; acid value, 39.18 ; saponification value, 204.6 ; Reichert-Meissl value, 6.9 ; iodine value, 79.9 ; unsaponificable, 1.73 ; butyro-refractometer at 25°, 79.5°.

{{smaller|Fatty acids (insoluble) : per cent 88.3 ; melting point, 32.8 ; iodine value, 83.06 ; neutralisation value, 192.4 ; mean molecular weight, 291.5. (A. K. Menon.) {Agricultural Ledger 1911-12— No. 5, p. 139.)}}

Vern. : — Brâa (Ladak).

Eng. : — The Bladder Senna.

Habitat : — Arid valleys of the inner Himalayas.

A sub-glabrous shrub, 6-10 feet high, unarmed. Leaves imparipinnate ; leaflets 9-13, obovate, pale green, ¼-⅜- in. long, often emarginate, obscurely silky in the young state. Racemes as large as the leaves, axillary, laxly 3-4-flowered. Flowers yellow, showy. Calyx 1/6-¼in. Corolla ¾ inch long; standard furnished at the base with two nipple-shaped papillæ. Pod ½-2in. long, faintly downy when young, splitting at tip before ripening.

Use : — The leaves of this plant are purgative, and are used to adulterate officinal senna. (U. S Dispensatory).