APPENDIX. JOJ 



Mr. X C. Umney contributed a paper on Podophyllum emodt at the 

 Pharmaceutical Conference held in Edinburgh in August 1892, from 

 which -vve extract the following ; 



The results of Podwissotzki's work on the resin of P. peltafum 



may be briefly summarized thus 



The physiologically active portion of podopliylhim resin consists 

 of podophyllotoxiu, which is composed of picropodophylliu held in 

 solution by picropodophyllic acid. 



Picropodop}]yllin is a neutral crystalline principle^ which, though 

 the sole active ingredient of the resin, is inactive in its free state, 



wi 



solution in, picropodophyllic acid iq extremely active. The resin also 

 contains an inactive acid — podophyllic acid, sl jellow colouring 

 matter, — podophylloquercetln and fatty matter. 



-mi 



the following table, and are compared with the analysis, under the 

 same conditions^ of a sample of resin of P. peltatum : — 



P. emodi, P, peUatum* 



Hesin by official process for podophyllin resin 11-4 5' 9 



Constituents of the resin 



Podophyllotoxin (crude) „ 17^8 33-8 



Pui-e crystalline picropodophylliu.,. ... 2*6 4*5 



Picropodophyllic acid (deteWed. deter^ned 



Podophyllic acid 30-8 69 



Podophylloquercetln ... 1'3 2* 4 



Fatty matter - -^ 2-3 5-7 



«ff« *■* ••• ••• 



The picropodophylliu melted at 208— 210°C. 

 The podophyllic acid melted at 125^. 

 The podophylloquercetin melted at 248^. 



Mr. Umney concludes his paper by saying that the rhizome of 

 Podophi/llum emodt yields nearly donhle the amount of resin yielded 

 by P. peltatum^ but the resin contained or^j about half the quantity 

 of crystaUiue picropodophylliu, to which the value as a cathartic 



IS due. 



We 

 of 'the 



resin 



founded 



experiments we cannot decide the question of making this drug an 

 official source of podophyllin xe%m. 



