" The analogy between the medical properties of the root-bark of T. aculeata and those of the root of Berberis asiatica and some other species of Berberi is very great. The former, however, has one advantage over the latter, which is its procurability in every large bazar of Southern India ; whereas, the Indian Barberry-root requires to be sent for from some hills and distant places, as the Nilgiris, Shevaroy Hills, Calcutta, Delhi, etc" (MOODEEN SHERIFF.)
In the Australasian Congress of 1889, held at Melbourne, Surgeon-Major Kirtikar, in exhibiting the powder of the root, said as follows : — "The plant (Jangli-kâli-mirchi) has been recommended by Dr. Bidie of Madras as a bitter tonic in debility, after malarial fevers, and in convalescence from exhausting diseases. I have tried it in the malarial cachexia of fevers and found that it acts as a good stomachic tonic, improving the appetite, and aiding digestion. An infusion of the root-powder, in the proportion of an ounce of the powder to ten fluid ounces of boiling water, makes a capital preparation. Dose, one to two ounces, twice or thrice daily. Four years ago, I obtained a few pounds of the root from Dr. Dymock and tried it with great advantage. The root contains a bitter principle, the exact nature of which is yet unknown. It was once known in Europe under the name of Lopez-root as a remedy for diarrhœa, probably from the large quantities of yellow resin which the vascular and cortical system contain. " The Bark," says Dr. Dymock, " is remarkable for its large cells filled with resin and essential oil." (P. 949, Proceedings of the Australasian Congress, Melbourne, 1889.)
The central woody portion, the inner bark, and the external yellow powder of the root, were separately examined.
Ten grams of the external yellow powder were digested for two hours with 100 c.c. of boiling alcohol, filtered, and the residue again treated in a similar manner. To the orange brown filtrate alcoholic lead acetate solution was added, drop by drop, as long as a colourless precipitate was formed, and after this was removed by filtration, the filtrate was evaporated to a small bulk and poured into five times its volume of dilute hydrochloric acid. A viscous, yellow precipitate was thus obtained, which increased in quantity on standing; this was collected upon calico, and after being rinsed with cold, was digested with boiling water, the turbid, yellow liquid thus obtained contained resinous matter in suspension, but this was readily
