Page 182 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

TUBERA JALAPAE

Jalap, Radix Jalapae; Jalap.

Jalap is the dried tuberous root of Ipomea purga Hayne (= Exogonium
purge (Venderoth) Benth). Fam. Convolvulaceae known as Vera Cruz Jalap or
Mexican Jalap.

Preparation
Jalap contains not more than 2 % of foreign organic matter and yields

not less than 10 % of resin.
The plant is a perennial turning herb growing in moist rich wood lands of

Eastern Mexico, India, and Jamaica. The underground portion consists of a tuberous
root system. The roots are collected at various seasons of the year. The best time for
collection is the fall. They are then washed and placed in nets and dried over fire
which gives them a smoky odor. The largest roots are longitudinally sliced before
drying. The drug is placed in bags for shipment. It has been imported wholly from
Vera Cruz and Mexico City.

Macroscopical Characters
Jalap occurs usually entire, rarely in slices from large tubers. Entire tuber,

fusiform, napiform, irregularly ovoid, occasionally rounded or oblong, usually
somewhat tapering at the base, where one or more scars of rootlets and of the
broken tip being present, 3 to 15 cm long, 2 to 8 cm. up to 10 cm. in diameter,
externally, reticulated, longitudinally wrinkled, sometimes furrowed and incised;
showing numerous, paler transverse lenticels, 2 to 4 mm. long: very hard, heavy,
compact; fracture even, neither fibrous nor woody, internally, wholly horny or only
the outer portion being horny, yellowish-grey to dark brown; the transverse surface
showing a narrow dark-colored bark with numerous dark points, the resin cells, a

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