A PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY OF THE CHINESE DRUG CHI-KU-TS'AO

1.Chi-ku-ts'ao, a native drug of Kwangtung and Kwangsi Provinces, has long been used in folk medicine for the treatment of infectious hepatitis.Its efficacy towards this disease has been proved by clinical trials and become widely known in recent years. 2.Drug and plant specimens of Chi-ku-ts'ao were collected from nine cities in Kwangsi and Kwangtung. By careful examination of these specimens both morphologically and histologically, three different species were identified, namely: (1)Abrus cantoniensis Hance, (2) Abrus mollis Hance and (3) Desmodium microphyllum (Thunb.) DC., all belonging to the family Leguminosac. After consultation with experienced physicians and druggists, Abrus cantoniensis is considered to be the correct species for the drug. 3.Botanical and pharmacognostical descriptions of the above three species are made together with those of (4) Abrus precatorius L. which resembles (1)and(2)in appearance and might be collected indiscriminately.The more important diagnostical characters of these four species are tabulated.