3S BERBERIDE^. 



strong tincture thus obtained is slowly poured into a large quantity of 

 water acidulated with hydrochloric acid (one measure of acid to 70 of 

 IS'oJi'^' ^u Pyecipitated resin dried at a temperature not exceeding 



^^ ^ O. ihe acid IS used to facihtate the subsidence of the pulverulent 



resin Whiph anr-r^rrlir^r^ +/^ H/T^' „1, _.j.ii 1 T , , K . . 



•j- A 1 1. Ti * V ^^"'"'^^^* o^^uLico uuvvji uuu very siowiy ii preci- 

 pitated by cold water simply, and if thrown down by hot water fuses 

 into a dark brown cake. The resin re-dissolved in alcohol and again 

 precipitated by acidulated water, after thorough washing with distilled 



water and finally drying over sulphuric acid, amounts to about 2 

 per cent. 



Resin of podophyllum is a light, brownish-yellow powder with a 

 tmge o± green devoid of crystalline appearance, becoming darker if 

 exposed to a heat above 32° C, and having an acrid, bitter taste; 

 it IS very incorrectly called Podophyllin. The product is the same 

 whether the rhizome or the rootlets are exclusively emi)loyed.i It is 

 soluble in caustic, less freely in carbonated alkalis, even in ammonia, 

 and is precipitated, apparently without . alteration, on addition of an 

 acid J^ther separates it into two nearly equal portions, the one soluble 

 m the menstruum, the other not, but both energetically purgative. 

 From the statements of Credner^ it appears that if caustic lye is 

 Shaken with the ethereal solution, about half the resin combines with 

 the potash, while the other half remains dissolved in the ether. If an 

 acid IS added to the potassic solution a red-brown precipitate is produced 



According to Credner, the body of greatest purgative activity was 

 precipitated by ether from an alcoholic solution of crude podophyllin. 



By exhausting the resin with boiling water, Power found that finally 

 not more than 20 n^v noTif ^f ti^^ ^^^:^ • -.i ___ j- ^_i-.„j v.it 



x.wo ^uxu tiidu zu per cent, ot the resm remained undissolved. Hy 

 meitmg the crude resin with caustic soda, a little protocatcchuic acid 



was obtain pd . ^ 



was obtained. 



Mayer^ of Ne 



_^ . y ^«jci UL ^^ew xorK stated podophyllum to contain, beside tne 

 resm already mentioned, a large proportion of Berherine, a colourless 

 alkaloid, an odoriferous principle which might be obtained by sublima- 

 tion in colourless scales, and finally Saponin. From all these bodies 

 the resin as prepared by Power," was ascertained by him to be destitute ; 

 he especially proved the absence of berberine in PodophyUum. 



/ 73 ^s^s— Podophyllum is only employed for the preparation of the resin 

 [Mesina Podovhvlli) which is nnw ty^m^k r.>,^c^>.;v,.^ „„ „ ,.,,^„o+^.o 



1 c 



^^ baunclers in Am. Journ. of Pharm. xvi. » Am. Journ. of Pharmacy, xxxv. (18G3) 



«pn ^ifro ^^^''^^y"'" iJ^i-'^^ertatlon), Gies- ^L-cit., ^Iso Avi. Journ. of Pharm. {ISl^) 



sen, iSb'J. 3--Q 



