Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/436

In 1874-1877 I used to see a row of some excellent, huge, Land some horse-chestnut trees along the garden enclosing wall of the Kensington Gardens, London (K. R K.)

Uses : — The fruit and bark Lave for long been regarded as useful in the treatment of fevers as an anti-periodic. Esculine, in doses of 15 grains, is said to have been found useful in malarial disorders.

Composition of the fruit, after drying. Shell=16.9%, kernel=83.l%. The kernel, shell and whole fruit, resp., show on analysis : ash 2, 8, 1.7, 2.6 ; protein, 12.1, 5.7, 11.0 ; fiber, 2.1, 13.2 4.0 ; oil, 6.3, 0.9, 5.3 ; carbohydrates, 74.5, 71.6, 74.0. The ash contains 12-3% P₂O₅. This nut contains no harmful ingredient, but the relatively large proportion of bitter acid present renders the material unpalatable. When ground and mixed with molasses these nuts have been used as a substitute for oil-cake in cattle fodder.Drying, macerating, or boiling the nuts greatly reduces the bitter taste and increases the nutritive value. One kg. of dried nuts is equivalent to 6 kg. of beet-roots. Numerous methods are employed in separating the starch of chestnut. Horse-chestnut oil is very similar to almond and mustard seed oils. The following consts. were obtained: d₁₅, 0.926; n, 1.4747; Sapon. no., 194.5; I no, 95.4 ; R— M. no, 1.54 ; Hehner no., 92.9 ; acetyl no, 13.5. The acid principle of this nut has not been clearly identified.

Chemical Abstracts for Jan. 20, 1914. p. 384.

Eng. : — Indian horse-chestnut.

Vern. : — Bankhor, gugu, kanor, pankar (H.) ; Gun, kanor (Pb.) ; Kishing (Kumaon) ; Home, hanûdûm (Kashmir) ; Torjaga (Trans-Indus).

Habitat :— Western Himalaya, from the Indus to Nepal.

A large, deciduous tree, with scaby sticky, buds. Bark grey ; when old, exfoliating upwards in long flakes or thin bands, which remain attached to the upper ends and hang down outwards, having a straight appearance. Wood white, with a pinkish tinge, soft, close-grained. A very handsome tree, reaching 100 ft. or more in height, in suitable places, with perhaps 25 ft. in girth. Leaves opposite, digitate, ex-stipulate ; common petiole 4-6 in. long. Leaflets 5-9 ; 6-10 by 2-3½ in., the centre ones the largest, oblanceolate, or oblong, acuminate, sharply