analeptic (anÂ´ÉlepÂ´tik), n 1. an agent that acts to overcome depression of the central nervous system. n 2. a strong central nervous system stimulant that is used to restore consciousness, especially from a drug-induced coma. 1. a drug that acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system, such as caffeine and amphetamine.
Shellac is scraped from the bark of the trees where the female lac bug, Kerria lacca (Order Hemiptera, Family Kerriidae), also known as Laccifer lacca, secretes it to form a tunnel-like tube as it traverses the branches of the tree.
The raw shellac, which contains bark shavings and lac bugs removed during scraping, is placed in canvas tubes (much like long socks) and heated over a fire. This causes the shellac to liquify, and it seeps out of the canvas, leaving the bark and bugs behind.