MATICA or MATICO, Medical Properties of. This name is applied to an astringent plant brought from Peru, where it has long enjoyed a high reputation for its styptic properties. Doubts exist as to the botanical origin of the plant, some ascribing it to a Labiate plant, resembling a phlomis, while others refer it to a piperaceous plant, and even assert that it is the piper angustifolium (Ruiz et Pavan, tab. 64,a), a native of Peru. By Miguel this plant is now referred to the genus Artanthe, separated from Piper, and is called Artanthe elongate. It is a Steffensia, according to Kunth (in Liumea xiii. 609). The odour of the leaves, somewhat resembling a mcntha, and the large quantity of volatile oil obtained from them, lend countenance to the opinion of its being a labiate plant; while the alternate position of the leaves in most of the specimens described entirely negatives this notion. The probability is, that two distinct plants pass under the name of Matico, which, though they have a distinct origin, have similar properties. Frequent instances of this arc found in Brazil, where numerous plants are called eact-pek ; and several, reputed antidotes to the bites of serpents, are all termed quaco : one of these is the Eupatorium glutinosum, Knuth. The analysis of the leaves
seems to have been made on the piperaceous plant, which is stated to yield a drink employed by the Indians to produce effects similar to the bang obtained from the Cannabis Indica. Matico has been analysed by Dr. Hodges, who found it to contain, 1, chlorophylls ; 2, a soft dark-green resin ; 3, a brown colouring matter ; 4, a yellow colouring matter ; 5, gum, and nitrate of potash; 6, a bitter principle, Maticine ; 7, an aromatic volatile oil ; 8, salts ; 9, liguin.
Cold water extracts, in about four hours, all the medicinal virtues of the plant, and is an eligible means of administering it. A tincture is also employed, and the powdered leaves are both given internally and applied externally. It does not owe its astringent properties to tannin: and it seems to exert a vital action on bleeding vessels, so as speedily to arrest the luemorrhage. It has been used to check other discharges, such as the profuse expectoration and also the night-sweats of con sumptive patients. Few drugs exert more than a temporary influence over these symptoms ; but among such, Notice *emus well entitled to attention. Still more potent is oxide of sine in such cases.