Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/705

Rh diarrliœa, and often recommended for cholera. They are used most frequently in conjunction with assafetida, myrobalans, and rock salt. A decoction is supposed to check discharges, and it is therefore sometimes prescribed as a lotion, and often constitutes an ingredient in cough mixture. Dr. Bidie is strongly in favour of the extended use of this medicine.

" As a topical remedy, it may be used with advanatge, along with astringents, in cases of relaxed sore-throats. For disguishing the taste of disagreeable drags and obviating their tendency to cause nausea and griping, 1 know of no remedy of equal power."

Omum Water— or distilled water from the seeds— is also sold in the bazaars, and a crystalline essential oil (Ajwan-ke-phûl). This is chiefly prepared at Oojein and elsewhere in Central India (Pharm. Ind.).

By distillation a Water and an Oil are obtained, the percentage of the latter being about 3—4.

{{smaller|A crystalline substance or stearoptine separates from the oil and forms on the surface during distillation. This is sold as a wain-ka-phal (" flowers of ajowun "), and is identical with thymol, which is the principal constituent (45 to 55 per cent.) of ajowan- oil and for which alone the fruits are distilled in Europe. It is prepared on a fairly extensive scale in Ujjain and other towns of Central India and was first made known to Europe by Dr. Stocks. The price is from Rs. 6 to Rs. 12 per lb. [''Cf. Rept. Cent. Indig. Drugs Comm., i., 125.] The value of thymol'' is mainly as an antiseptic, and very large orders have recently been received from Japan. The price in Europe varies with the charactor of the Indian season ; during cholera and plague years it has been high (e.g. 22s. per kilo in 1901), but over-production has tended to keep prices low e.g. 13s. 6d. in 1897, 13s. in 1903). Besides thymol certain hydro-carbons called thymene are obtained from aj owan-oil and used as a soap-perfume. A sample of the fresh plant itself cultivated at Miltitz (Saxony) yielded 0.12 per cent, oil, but the oil had only 1 per cent, of thymol. Of 8,641 cwt. of the fruit exported from Bombay in 1903, 8,443 cwt. went to Germany and the rest to America and Egypt. [Cf. Schimmel & Co., Semi-Ami. Rept., Oct.-Nov., 1903, 104 ; Apr.-May, 1904, 130.] The distilled dried fruit contains 15 to 17 per cent, protein and 25 to 32 per cent, fat, thus making an excellent food for cattle. (Watt's Commercial Products p. 285). {{rule|6em}] {{c|{{larger|574. Pimpinella Heyneana, Wall.}} {{sc| H.F.B.i., ii.}} 684.}}

Vern. : — Tirio ; Mârcheia (Chutia Nagpur).

Habitat: — Circars ; Deccan Peninsula and Ceylon, frequent in the hills. Chittagong ; at Burkul. Jaspur ; Sitonga. {{nop}}