Source

 Known as Surinam Quassia

Jamaica Quassia
 Obtained from Picrasma
excelsa
Simarubaceae
 Collection
 Trees are cut down , small
branches removed
 Trunk & large branches are
sawn into logs & billets which
are 1.5 – 2 mts length
 For pharmaceutical purposes
bark removed ,cut & kiln dried
to prevent mould growth
 Wood also occurs in chips &
 Description

 Shape logs / chips / raspings

 Colour logs covered with dark grey
cork
first whitish
later becomes yellow on
exposure
blackish markings due to
fungus
 Odourless
 Description
Under UV
 Cork shows blue & yellow
patches on a velvety brown
background
 Phloem fluoresces as intensely
greyish white
 Regions attacked by fungus
become violet
 False annual rings fluoresces
 Microscopy
Wood shows storeyed arrangement

 Medullary rays 2-5 cell wide

Radially elongated & has slightly
Thickened pitted walls
 Vessels Large , single / in groups of 2- 11
Extend between medullary
rays
Show bordered pits
 Wood parenchyma Occur in concentric rings
often Irregular &
interrupted Constitute
 Microscopy

 Ground tissue longitudinally elongated

wood fibers finely pointed
ends
 Prisms of calcium oxalate enclosed in a
delicate membrane
,occur scattered in
medullary rays & wood parenchyma
 Few starch grains
 Constituents
Consists of Amaroid
compounds
 Picrasmin , quassin neoquassin

 Intensely bitter lactone

 Yellow crystalline substance

(Quassin is a molecular
complex of Picrasmin
& Neoquassin )
 Uses

 Non-astringent bitter tonic

 Insecticide
 As enema for expulsion of thread
worms