4.wild Cherry

Source • Known as

• Obtained from

Wild black cherry Virginea prune bark Black cherry

Prunus serotina Rosaceae

• Collected in autumn as it is medicinally active in this season

Description • Shape • • • • •

Occurs as flattened , curved , recurved , channeled pieces Types Young bark covered with a thin smooth , glossy reddish brown cork interrupted by whitish tangentially elongated lenticels It is easily peeled off in thin membranous strips Commercial bark greenish brown cortex with scars corresponding to lenticels Old bark is dark & rough Rossed bark sometimes cortex has been removed & phloem is exposed which is rough / rasped appearance & is of uniform dark cinnamon brown colour

Description

• Inner surface reddish brown /cinnamon brown Striated , reticulately furrowed appearance • Fracture short & granular • Usually odourless but develops strong odour bitter almonds when moist • Taste astringent , bitter , aromatic

Microscopy • Cork • Cortex

• • • •

brown greenish band with numerous tangentially elongated groups of sclereids Pericyclic sclerenchyma Phloem Medullary rays alternate with phloem Calcium oxalate prisms & clusters

Constituents • • • • • • •

Prunasin Prunase Brown resin Tri methyl gallic acid Paracumaric acid Traces of benzoioc acid , volatile oil Prunasin upon hydrolysis gives hydrocyanic acid , benzaldehyde , dextrose • Bark from root is more active than that from stem / branches

Uses • It has tonic & mild sedative properties • Frequently given in coughs & chest complaints

Tests • Bark + water in a test tube closed with cork wrapped with a paper moistened with sodium picrate • Yellow picrate is turned to brick red due to evolution of HCN