311. Cascarilla, N.F.—Cascarilla Bark.
311. CASCARILLA, N.F.—CASCARILLA BARK. The bark of Cro'ton elute'ria Bennet. Small broken quills having a grayish fissured cork, more or less covered with white lichen patches, but often partially or wholly removed, showing the dull brown inner bark; inner surface smooth; bast fibers few; fracture short, resinous; odor feeble, stronger when rubbed; when ignited, it emits a strongly aromatic odor, somewhat resembling musk, but weaker and more agreeable; taste warm, aromatic, very bitter. Copalchi bark (see also Aspidosperma, 353) has a cascarilla-like odor, and melambo bark, from Croton Melambo, Venezuela, and other species of Croton, are similar to cascarilla.
Constituents: Volatile oil (1.5 to 3 per cent.); cascarillin (a bitter crystalline principle), tannin, fat, resin, etc. Aromatic, stimulant, and tonic. Once used as a febrifuge as a substitute for cinebona. Dose: 15 to 30 gr. (1 to 2 Gm.).
