Also sumbal, smmbul. [a. F. sumbul, a. Arab. sunbul.] Applied to the roots of certain plants (and to the plants themselves) which are used medicinally: esp. (a) the spikenard, Nardostachys Jatamansi, (b) the musk-root, Ferula (Euryangium) sumbul, (c) valerian.
East Indian, West African sumbul: see quot. 1887.
1790. Sir W. Jones, Spikenard Ancients, in Asiat. Res., II. 408. The true name of the Indian Sumbul was not Cétaca, but Jatámáṅsi. Ibid., 409. The sweet Sumbul is only another denomination of nard.
1839. Royle, Bot. Himal. Mts., I. 242. Polianthes tuberosa is described as being one of the kinds of Persian Sumbul.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 562. Sumbul is the root of a supposed Umbelliferous plant, which is imported into this country from Bombay and Russia.
1864. Chamb. Encycl., VI. 634/1. The drug called Musk Root or Sambul.
1876. Trans. Clinical Soc., IX. 97. Valerian and sumbul did him some good.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 641/1. Under the name of East Indian sumbal, the root of Dorema ammoniacum, Don., has occasionally been offered in English commerce. Ibid. West African sumbal is the root of a species of Cyperus.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 750. Tincture of sumbul.
b. attrib.: sumbul balsam, the balsamic extract of sumbul-root; sumbul-oil, a mixture of volatile oils derived from sumbul; sumbul-root, the root of any of the above plants used medicinally as a tonic and anti-spasmodic.
1844. Chem. Gaz., II. 240. The oily portion of the *Sumbul balsam.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 644. *Sumbul-oil, a mixture of volatile oils obtained by the distillation of sumbul-balsam.
1899. E. J. Parry, Chem. Essential Oils, 262. Sumbul Oil or Musk-root Oil is obtained from the dried root of Ferula sumbul.… It has a distinct musk-like odour, and in India the root of Dorema ammoniacum is often substituted for it.
1855. Dunglison, Med. Lex., Sumbuli radix, *Sumbul root.
1868. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 241. Tincture of Sumbul. (Sumbul root, in powder, two and a half ounces; proof spirit, a pint).
Hence Sumbulamic, Sumbulic, Sumbulolic acid, Sumbuline (see quots.).
1844. Chem. Gaz., II. 240. The author [Reinsch] calls the acid separated from the oily portion of the Sumbul balsam, Sumbulolic acid, and the previously-obtained balsamic acid, Sumbulamic acid.
1855. Garrod, Mat. Med., 163. Sumbul … yields, on distillation,… an acid capable of crystallisation, named Sumbulic acid.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 644. Sumbuline, the name given by Murawieff to an alkaloid supposed to exist in sumbul-root. Ibid., Sumbulolic acid. Syn. with Sumbulic or Angelic Acid.
1874. Treas. Bot., Suppl. 1344/2. Sumbul-root … contains a peculiar acid, called sumbulic acid.
