Cassia Fistula. Purging Cassia

Description

This section is from the book "Materia Medica Pharmacy, Pharmacology And Therapeutics", by W. Hale White. Also available from Amazon: Materia Medica Pharmacy, Pharmacology And Therapeutics..

Cassia Fistula. Purging Cassia

Cassia Fistula. - Synonym. - Purging Cassia. The fruit of Cassia Fistula Linne (nat. ord. Leguminosae).

Habitat

East India; naturalized in tropical Africa and America.

Characters

Cylindrical, 40 to 60 cm. long, nearly 25 mm. in diameter, blackish-brown, somewhat veined, the sutures smooth, forming two longitudinal bands; indehiscent, internally divided transversely into numerous cells, each containing a reddish-brown, glossy, flattish-ovate seed imbedded in a blackish-brown, sweet pulp; odor resembling that of prunes.

Composition

The chief constituents are - (1) A purgative principle, closely allied to Cathartic Acid. (See Senna, p. 492.) (2) Sennapicrin, a Glucoside, C34H58C17. (3) Sugar, 60 per cent. (4) Pectin. (5) Calcium Oxalate.

Cassia Fistula is contained in Confectio Sennae.

Dose, 1 to 8 dr.; 4. to 30. gm.