APPENDIX, 191 
ACANTHACEZ. 
Note on the presence of a Cholesterol in the roots of 
Hygrophila spinosa. 
In the Pharmacographia Indica, one of us described the physical 
properties of a principle isolated from the roots of the Hygrophila 
spinosa, Which was not unlike a cholesterol, Subsequently, through 
For ultimate analysis the principle was crystallized from light 
petroleum ether, ‘and the combustion made in an open tube in a 
current of oxygen, The tube had been in use some time and was 
in very good working order, The results obtained led to the follow- 
ing formula :— 
Calculated for 
C26H++0, Found. 
iia ie sag oe ane 312 83-86 83°80 
ee a baths ive ses 44 11°82 12°02 
O ape es vee es 16 a Al 418 
ore 100-00 100-00 
At 175° C. (uncor,) the cholesterol commenced to soften, and 
melted at 184° (uncor.), The fusing point would appear to be higher 
than that of any cholesterol hitherto isolated. We were unfor- 
tunately unable to determine the specific rotatory power. 
In purifying the cholesterol an alcoholic extract of the root was 
dried and exhausted with ether. The dry ether extract was treated 
with dilute sulphuric acid, and the insoluble residue taken up by 
ether. The ether extract was next boiled with aqueous caustic 
potash, the solution evaporated to dryness, and extracted with 
petroleum ether. The petroleum ether extract was boiled for.some 
hours with alcoholic potash, the solution evaporated to dryness, and 
extracted with petroleum ether. The petroleum extract was of a yel- 
low colour, and in order to decolourize it, it was dissolved in absolute 
alcohol, and the solution agitated with purified animal charcoal; 
this, however, failed to remove the whole of the colour, and the 
following experiment was adopted. The alcohol was evaporated off, 
