________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
२००
Chemical composition.--The leaves have been examined by Mr. D. Hooper, Government Quinologist, Ootacamund who has separated from them a bitter principle and an acid chemically indentical with Chiratin and Ophelic acid C. infortunatum (In Vernacular-chándir or karry) and C. Serratum (in Vernacular-chàrange) contain the same bitter principle and acid in a less proportion. Mr. Hooper reports that the bitter principle is entirely removed by ether and the subsequent treatment of the drug with alcohol and water affords, extracts free from bitterness. Ether, alcohol and water independently exhaust the drug, but the former removes it with less admixture of foreign substances. The ether extract heated with water gives up this principle to the solvent in an almost pure condition. It is thus obtained as a whitish or slightly coloured viscid mass which in process of time hardens and may be reduced to an amorphous non-hygroscopic powder. It is soluble in water with an acid reaction, and is partially rendered insoluble by neutral plumobic acetate, thus giving evidence of its compound nature. The portion precipitated by the lead salt, when liberated from the compound by hydrogen sulphide, is a light coloured amorphous acid powder, soluble in water, spirit of wine and ether, and reducing Fehlings solution. The bitter principle that escaped precipi. tation by lead was readily shaken out of the acidu lated filterate by ether, and left after evaporation as a whitish amorphous powder; it had a neutra
For Private and Personal Use Only
