A PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY OF CHINESE DRUG HUANG-TENG THE ROOTS AND STEMS OF FIBRAUREA TINCTORIA LOUR

1.Huang-teng is used as an analgesic remedy in Chinese medicine. Tomita and Tani have reported, besides mucilage and colouring matters, the presence of two alkaloidspalmatine and Jatrorrhizine. Though some phytochemical work has been reported, no pharmacognostical study on this drug appears to have been done. In view of the great importance of Huang-teng in medicine it was deemed desirable to undertake a detailed morphological and histological study. 2.After a careful comparison of various samples collected in Kwangsi and Kwangtung, it is proved that they are of the roots and stems of the same plants, Fibraurea tinctoria Lour., family Menispermaceae. 3.A detailed account of their morphological and histological characters is made together with light plates of illustrations.