(Not official). - Synonyms. - Mancona Bark. Ordeal Bark. Casca Bark. The bark of Erythrophlceum guineense (nat. ord. Leguminosae).

Habitat

Africa.

Characters

In flat or curved pieces of irregular size, about 6 mm.

thick, covered externally with an uneven warty and fissured corky layer, or deprived of the same, of a dull brown color. It is hard, brittle, of a fibrous texture, internally with pale yellowish brown spots, inodorous, of an astringent, somewhat bitter and acrid taste, and when powdered excites sneezing.

Composition

The active principle is Erythrophloeine, a colorless alkaloid, soluble in water and Alcohol; this is a local anaesthetic (Koller).

Action And Therapeutics Of Erythrophloeum

The action of erythrophloeum of which a 10 per cent.tincture has been recommended in dose of from 5 to 10 m.; .30 to .60 c.c., by the British Pharmaceutical Conference is the same as that of digitalis, and it may be used for the same class of cases. In organic cardiac disease its effect in strengthening the pulse and in increasing the urine is by no means constant nor lasting. It is, however, more likely to cause vomiting, and the action on the inhibitory cardiac mechanism is much more marked than that on the cardiac muscle.