ASAFCETIDA. 65 



of resins in ethereal oils. Para contains 60 to 80 per cent, 

 oil; Maranham, 40 to 60 per cent.; Maracaibo, 20 to 90 

 per cent. 



Copaiba oil is a mixture of isomeric hydrocarbons, the 

 sesquiterpene, caryophyllen, C^fi^^, being, according to 

 Hoffe, the only definitely known constituent. It is a 

 colorless, yellowish, or brownish liquid, specific gravity 

 0.900 to 0.910, with a boiling-point of 250° to 275° C. 

 It is laevorotary. 



The acids are copaivic, oxycopaivic, and metacopaivic 

 acid, varying in the different varieties. 



The resin is a liquid, amorphous mass which is acid in 

 reaction and brittle. There is also a bitter principle 

 which is soluble in water. 



Adulterations. — The most common adulterant is tur- 

 pentine; also other oils, linseed, castor, and, recently, 

 cottonseed. The first is recognized by the odor on heat- 

 ing, the fixed oils by the lower boiling-point, and by their 

 leaving a hea\'y, sticky residue. 



I 



I 



ASAFCETIDA. 



Asafcetida is a gum resin obtained from the root of 

 Ferula fcetida (Bunge), Regel. 



Although the Pharmacopoeia limits the producing 

 plant, it is quite probable that asafcetida is obtained from 

 two or even three or four species of Ferula. (Peuce- 

 danum.) Some of these are Ferula Narthex (mentioned 

 in the Pharmacopoeia of 1880), a native of northwestern 

 Thibet; Ferula fa:tidissima, east Persia (Peucedanum 

 albacein, Baillon) ; Ferula Jaschkeanum, Vatke (P. J. 

 Baillon), a native of Cashmere. 



The main sources are, however, Ferula fwtida and 

 Ferula Narthex. The former is 'a tall, coarse herb of the 

 Untbelliferecu, five to ten feet high, widely distributed in 

 the Eastern Asiatic provinces, from Persia, Turkestan, 

 and Afghanistan. 



