Seeds - Specimen details
| Catalogue Number: 64450 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Image | Plant Name | 37.00 ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Peganum harmala | Entry Book Number | ||
| Artefact Name | Seeds | Vernacular Name | |||
| Iso Country | India | TDWG Region | India | ||
| Parts Held | Seeds | Geography Description | India | ||
| Uses | SeedsUse: MEDICINES - Nervous System Disorders User: Man | TDWG use | MEDICINES - Nervous System Disorders | ||
| Storage | Bottles, boxes etc | Related Items | |||
| Donor | Pharm Soc GB | Donor No | 22 F 4 | ||
| Donor Date | Donor Notes | India Museum Date: 00/00/1880x0Dx0A | |||
| Collector | Collector No | ||||
| Collection Notes | Collection Date | ||||
| Exhibition | Expedition | ||||
| Number Components | Publication | ||||
| Notes: | Label source: The drug, as found in the bazaar, consists of the seeds mixed with a few pedicels surmounted by the five-partite calyx and portions of the three celled, three furrowed capsule. The seeds are of a dull greyish brown colour, irregular angular, , and about one eight of an inch long; they have a heavy narcotic odour when crushed, and a bitter taste. Examined under the microscope the testa, which is rough and squarmous may be seen to consist of two rows of large honey combed cells, the walls of wh, ich contain brown colouring matter the kernel is greenish, and when a section is placed in glycerine for examination it immediately develops a fine green fluorescence; it consists of two longish cotyledons surrounded by albumen; the cell contents of botha, ppear granular. Some seed crushed and treated with water for a few minutes produced after filtering a pale yellow fluid with a marked green fluorescence; this was destroyed by alkalis and restored by acids. Dr Pandurang Gopal a Medical Graduate of Bombay, Univ., has experimented with this drug. He informs me that the infusion or tincture acts as a stimulant, emmenogogue and produces slight intoxication like Cannabis indica. He gave the tincture in 1/2 drachm doses to a female suffering from amenorrhoea, an, d it had the effect of producing a free menstrual discharge; in five cases of dysmenorrhoea he has found it affective in restoring a free discharge; he further says it is sometimes used by native midwives to procure abortion. Dr Panurang believes it haspr, operties in common with ergot, savin and rue. The equal activity of watery and spiritous preparations may be explained by the fact that a red resinous colouring matter is a secondary product formed by the oxidation of the alkaloid harmaline; it is only p, roduced after a prolonged digestion of the seeds in spirit. | ||||