Source

• Known as Wild black cherry

Virginea prune
bark
Black cherry
• Obtained from 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 brown
• Cortex 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