Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/452

membranous inflated, gall and female flower intermixed ; perianth toothed ; gall ovary, ovoid, rough. Achene granulate ; stigma clavate. (J. D. Hooker.)

Uses : — The leaves, bark and fruit are employed in native medicine. The bark is given as an astringent and as a wash for wounds. It is also employed to remove the poison from wounds made by a tiger or cat. The root is useful in dysentery, and a fluid obtained from it by incision is administered as a powerful tonic. The leaves reduced to powder and mixed with honey are given in bilious affections. The small blister-like galls common on the leaves, soaked in milk and mixed with honey are given to prevent pitting in small-pox. (Atkinson.) The figs are considered astringent, stomachic and carminative, and are given in menorrhagia and hæmoptysis. The milky juice is administered in piles and diarrhœa, and in combination with sesamum oil in cancer. The fresh juice of the ripe fruit is used as an adjunct to a metallic preparation which is given in diabetes and other urinary diseases. In Bombay, the sap is a popular remedy, which is locally applied to mumps and other inflammatory glandular enlargements, and is given in doses of four tolas with cumin and sugar for gonorrhœa. (Dymock.) The bark is given to cattle when suffering from rinder-pest. It is ground with onions, cumin, and cocoanut spathes and mixed with vinegar. (Coimbatore Dist. Man.) The sap of the root is used in diabetes. (T. R. Moodeliar.) An infusion of the bark is much employed by the Tamil-speaking people for menorrhagia. (Dr. Thomas in Watt's Die.)

chem. on analysis it was found to contain :

The alcoholic extract contains a strace of soluble tannin which gives a light-green precipitate with ferric chloride.— (Agricul. Ledger, 1904— No. 4.)

• Containing nitrogen ... ... ... ... 1.19 per cent.

† Ditto colouring matter .. ... ... 8.5 per cent

‡ Ditto silica ... ... ... ... 0.25 per cent

‡ Ditto phosphoric acid ... ... ... 0.91 per cent