A comparative study of Salix Species Grown in Egypt**Abstract of thesis offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Pharmacy, Fouad I University, February 1943, Cairo, Egypt.††Presented to the Scientific Section, A. PH. A., Milwaukee meeting, August, 1947.

✍ Scribed by Fahmy, Ibrahim R. ;Abdel‐Latif, Ismail A.

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 1948
• Weight: 918 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9553
• DOI: 10.1002/jps.3030370709

✦ Synopsis

The taxonomical characters of t h e three Egyptian willows-Salix babylonica (Linn6 ), S d i x Sajsaf (Forsk.), and Salix tetrasperma (Roxb.)-have been studied. T h e pharmacognostical study of the barks and leaves of the three species has been carried out.

T h e active bitter constituent of the barks and leaves has been isolated and was proved to be the glycoside salicin.

HIS research was planned as a contribution Ttoward a study of the morphology and histology of the leaves and barks of Salix species grown in Egypt, with a view to determining the characteristics b y which these species can be distin--guished; and a chemical investigation of both leaves a n d barks with the object of isolating, identifying, and determining the yield of their active bitter principles.

BOTANICAL STUDY

Salix Species Grown in Egypt.-There are three Salix species widely distributed throughout the Nile valley (1). They have been grown sirice the days of the Ancient Egyptians, to whom they were sacred (2). The Latin names of these species as well as their English and Arabic synonyms (3-7) are as follows:

1. Salix babylonica (Lime) :

Weeping Willow (English) Safsaf Om Ash66r (Arabic)

Salix subserrata (Willd.)

Jordan Willow (English) Safsaf Balady (Arabic) 3. Salix tetrasperma (Roxb.) :

Safsaf Rumy (Arabic)

Description of Plants.-The three Salix trees behave similarly in being confined to the neighborhood of water and growing rapidly in damp places and on the banks of rivers and canals.

Salix bubylonica (Linn6) .-It is indigenous to Caucasus and North Asia. It is widely distributed in the Mediterranian region, and is cultivated everywhere in Egypt. The tree is slender, about 6 to 10 meters high, but the long recurved drooping branches generally reach the surface of the stream, on the bank of which the tree is growing (Fig. 1).

Salix Safsaf (Forsk.).-It is indigenous to North and tropical Africa. Widely distributed throughout Egypt and the Sudan. The tree is moderate in size, about 5 to 8 meters high and profusely branched. The branches are stout, straight, and 2. Salix Safsaf (Forsk.) : ' * Abstract of thesis offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree o f Master of Pharmacy, Fouad