In Bombay, the juice of the young lea Yes is used as a demulcent in gonorrhœa, cough, etc., either alone or combined with other drugs of similar properties (Dymock).
Chemical composition.— The root reduced to fine powder lost 8.39 per cent, at 100° C. The ash amounted to 14.41 per cent., and was free from any trace of manganese.
On analysis the following results were obtained : —
| Petroleum ether extract. | 1.80 per cent. |
| Ether extract. | 21 per cent. |
| Alcoholic extract. | 4.274 per cent. |
| Aqueous extract. | 19.560 per cent. |
The petroleum ether extract consisted of a yellow viscid oil, with slight siccative properties. On standing, white grains separated, which were non- crystalline when examined microscopically. In alcohol the extract was partly soluble ; no alkaloid was present. The ether extract was yellowish-white, and contained a trace of oil ; it gave no reaction with ferric salts ; in addition to resins a trace of benzoic acid was present.
The alcoholic extract was yellow and brittle ; with water a turbid mixture was obtained, which had a bitter taste. In addition to resins, a trace of an alkaloidal principle was detected.
The aqueous extract was sweetish and slightly bitter, and easily reduced Fehling's solution on boiling.
The fruit contained butyric acid, with a trace of tartaric acid a trace of astringent matter giving a greenish coloration with ferric chloride, an alkaloid, and a white principle, non-crystalline, and neutral, with resin and saccharine matter.
The alkaloids present in the fruit and in the root appear to be identical. The amount present in each case was very small, not exceeding a trace. (Pharmacographia Indica III, 71-72).
957. G. asiatica, Linn., h.f.b.l, iv. 582 ; Roxb. 487.
Sans. : — Biddari.
Vern. : — Badhára, Nâg-phul (Hind.) ; Gannudu, Chinta ganer Chelu (Tel.) ; Nalacomul (Tam.) ; Nilak-kumizh (Tam. ) ; Challa-gummudu (Tel.) ; Nilak-kumazh (Mal.) ; Láhán shivan (Mar.).
Habitat : — Deccan Peninsula and Bengal.
Flowers appear along with young foliage. 4 upper lobes dull orange-pink, lower one lemon-yellow.
A large straggling shrub, with bright yellow flowers some-times climbing, branches frequently spinescent, at times unarmed. Bark brownish white thin. Wood hard grey. Leaves ½-1½in., ovate or obovate, frequently lobed, pubescent when young ; mature beneath, glabrous glaucescent from a coat of
