MISCELLANEOUS ISOPRENOIDS

Gentian

B.O. Gentiana lutea

P.U. Dried rhizomes and roots

Family Gentianaceae.

Habitat: -

Plants are perennial herb, 2-3 m in height., these are indigenous to mountains of central and Southern Europe and Turkey. Commercial supply comes cheaply from France and Spain.

Collection: -

Rhizomes and roots are cut from 4-5 years old plants in autumns.

Drying: -

For drying there are two methods

a) Gentian is quickly dried in sun and this quickly dried drug contain bitter principle gentiopicrin or gentiopicroside or gentiomarin. The colour of exude drug is yellowish brown or yellowish orange.

b) In second method of drying the drug is dried slowly firstly in open air and then in shades. During this slow drying process, the drug is allowed to ferment. As a result of fermentation, the drug loses its most of bitter principle and possesses aromatic qualities which are desirable in certain alcoholic beverages or drinks. Slowly dried drug is used as a flavouring agent in preparation of alcoholic drinks. The colour of slow dried drug is reddish brown.

c) The fracture in both the cases is short and even when dry and tough and flexible when most.

Constituents: -

Gentiopicrin is the principle constituent of the quickly dried drug. It also contains gentioside in traces the drug also contain alkaloids, gentianine and gentialutine, pectin, fixed oil, tannin and sugar.

The drug is rich in sugar, which during fermentation is converted to glucose and fructose. If fermentation is allowed to proceed too far the hexose sugars are converted into alcohol and carbondioxide.

Uses: -

Drug, which is dried quickly, is used as bitter tonic in anorexia and dyspepsia.

Quassia

B.O. Picrasma excelsa

Quassia amara.

Family: - Simaroubaceae.

P.U. Dried wood.

Picrasma excelsa is a tall tree of 25m height. It is indigenous to west Indies and commercially known as Jamaica Quassia.

Quassia amara is small spreading shrub about 2-3m in height. It is found in Brazil, Venezuela and Guineas. It is commercially known as Surinam Quassia.

Collection: -

The drug which is wood is collected in the form of chips and small cubes. The wood is dried in oven to prevent the growth of mold (fungi, bacteria).

Fracture is short and even. It is odourless and the taste is bitter.

Constituents: -

The drug contains terpenoid bitter principle Quassin accompanied by smaller amounts of Isoquassin (picrasmin) and Neoquassin. Quassin is a molecular complex of Isoquassin and Neoquassin.

Uses: -

Quassia is used as a bitter tonic

As an insecticide

As an enema for expulsion of threadworms.