Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/627

Rh Thus we see that the extract when treated with benzene yielded a substance which is partially soluble in alcohol, and does not give any Iodine reaction, reduces Fehling's solution when heated with dilute HC1 and is pptd. by phosphotungstic acid. From these facts we may conclude that the substance yielded from the treatment of the extract with benzene is glucosidal in nature, the glucosidal body was first made soluble in absolute alcohol, which was then evaporated, and a dry brown powdery residue was left ; it also gave no reaction with Iodine, reduced Fehling's solution when heated with dilute HC1.

The extract was then treated with chloroform in the same way, and a gum- my substance was obtained which either gave Orcin reaction nor reduced Fehling's solution even when heated with dilute hydrochloric acid.

The extract was then further treated with absolute alcohol when a reddish-brown-colouring matter was separated out.

It gave no reaction with petroleum either. Tannic acid was estimated by Allen and Pleteker 4 s method and total tannin (including glucotannic acid, etc.) obtained was 12 per cent.

The bark was then burnt and the ash yielded was 30 per cent., most of which was calcium carbonate, but traces of sodium carbonate and chlorides of the alkali metals was also obtained. Sugar estimated from the original solution was 17 per cent.

Thus we see that the extract from the bark yields—

1. Sugar.

2. Tannin.

3. A colouring matter.

4. A body glucosidal in nature.

5. Carbonates of calcium and sodium and traces of chlorides of alkali metals. (Food and Drugs No. 1 pp. 22 et seq.)

Vern. : — Asan (H.) ; Piasal (B.) ; Ain (Bomb.) ; Kurruppu- maruta-maram (Tam.); Maddi (Tel.) ; Hatana, Matnak (Kol.) ; Ain, madat, yên, sâdada, sâj (Mar.) ; Ain (Guz.) ; Matti, kari-matti, banapu, tore matto-madi, aini (Kan J Sâin (Bijnor) ; Sadar (Bundelkhand).

Habitat : — Very common in Deccan and the Sub-Himalayan tracts of the North- West Provinces, Nepal and Sikkim.

A large deciduous tree, trunk tall, regularly shaped. Bark rough, grey to black, with long, broad, deep longitudinal fissures and short, shallow, transverse cracks, inner substance red when fresh. Sapwood reddish white ; heartwood dark brown, hard, beautifully variegated with streaks of darker colour, showing on a radial section as dark streaks which are generally undulating. Branchlets, inflorescence and young leaves clothed with short rust-coloured pubescence. Leaves coriaceous, hard,