Observations on reputed dysentery remedies / by T.A. Genry and H.C. Brown.

  • Henry, Thomas Anderson, 1873-1958.
Date:
[1924]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on reputed dysentery remedies / by T.A. Genry and H.C. Brown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    markedly toxic to Glaucoma, but owing to the large amount of gum present it proved difficult to get a satisfactory preparation of the tannin of the plant (see Table II), but even in the impure form used, the tannin belongs to the more active group. Bael fruit extract has long been used as a dysentery remedy in India. Sweet Flag.—This drug has been used successfully in unspecified dysentery by Evers.12 Clear evidence was obtained (see Table II) that it contains a moderately active tannin, but, as in the case of bael fruit, there is so much gum present that the tannin was difficult to isolate in a reasonably pure state. The drug also contains an essential oil, which is somewhat toxic to Glaucoma. . Summary of Results. It is shown that a number of the drugs which continue to be used in various parts of the tropics as remedies for dysentery may owe their activity to the tannins they contain, since these tannins are toxic to Glaucoma. A number of tannins have been investigated from this point of view, and it has been found that they belong to three classes, (a) the crystalline, sparingly soluble tannins, which are non-toxic, (b) the moderately toxic tannins, typified by gallotannin, and (c) the toxic tannins, of which the best example is the tannin of sant or babool pods. These three classes do not correspond with the three classes into which tannins may be arranged chemically. The usual decomposition products of tannins, such as gallic acid, resorcinol and catechol, are toxic to Glaucoma but not markedly so. Certain of the higher alkyl phenols, such as Isoamylphenol, are markedly toxic, and this is also true, to a less extent, of the phenolic and phenolic ether constituents of some essential oils which have been used in amoebic dysentery. REFERENCES. 1. Cf. Willmore, J. G. 1923. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and’ Hygiene. Vol. xvii., p. 13. 2. Maberley, J. 1897. Lancet. Vol. i., pp. 3G8, 433. 1909, Vol. ii., pp. 1364, 1838. 1910, Vol. i.. p. 387. 1915, Vol. ii., p. 1318. 3. Power, F. B. (with Lees, F. H.). 1903. Pharmaceutical Journal [iv.]. Vol. xvii., p. 183 ; (with Salway, A. H.). 1907. Ibid. Vol. lxxix, p. 126. Salway, A. H. and Thomas, W.. Ibid. 1907. Vol. lxxix., p. 128. 4. Brown, H. C. 1922. British Medical Journal. Vol. i., p. 993. 5. Ramsay, G. C. 1922. Indian Medical Gazette. Vol. lvii., p. 374. 6. Pyman, F. L. 1919. Transactions of the Chemical Society. Vol. cxv., p. 163. 7. Cf. Perkin. A. G. 1922. Transactions of the Chemical Society. Vol. cxxi., p. 66. 8. Henry, T. A., and Brown, H. C. 1923. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol. xvii., p. 61. 9. Cf. Roux, F. 1923. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. xvii., p. 213. 10. Leidy, J. 1919. Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol. xxii., p. 79. 11. Morgan, G. T., and Cooper, E. A. 1921. Bio-Chemical Journal. Vol. xv., p. 587. 12. Evers, B. 1875. Indian Medical Gazette. Vol. x., p. 39. J. C. Phelp & Son, Printers. Walthamstow.