ON H^MATOXYLIN IN THE BARK OF SARACA 



INDICA. 1 



Miss HELEN C. DE S. ABBOTT stated that De CanMle 2 

 and Linnaeus describe Saraca Indica as a member of the family 

 Leguminosae. According to De Candolle it belongs to the 

 genus Jonesia, Saraca Linn., and is separated by five genera 

 from the genus Hcematoxylon, or the logwood. 



In an article on certain drugs indigenous to India, Dr. 

 Waring 3 gives an account of the medicinal uses of the bark 

 of Saraca Indica. The attention of Messrs. Parke, Davis & 

 Co., Detroit, Michigan, was called to this drug, and through 

 their correspondents in India they secured a supply, samples 

 of which have been submitted to the speaker for a chemical 

 analysis. The full results of this analysis will appear elsewhere, 

 but it is now desired to announce a discovery of practical and 

 scientific interest in this connection. 



A coloring principle, identical with logwood dye, has been 

 isolated by her from the bark of Saraca Indica, where it existed 

 in two conditions, as haematoxylin and an oxidized product. 

 The former was separated as yellow crystals, analogous in 

 form to haematoxylin crystals from the true logwood, Hcema- 

 toxylon campechianum. The alcoholic extract of the bark 

 contained about 18 per cent, of a red-colored substance, 

 which agreed in color and dye tests with a like constituent 

 found in logwood. Mordanted cotton fabric was dyed with 

 haematoxylin, extracted by ether from the Saraca bark, and 

 presented the characteristic logwood dye colors. 



1 From the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia, 

 November 30, 1886. 



2 Pro. Sys. Nat. Reg. Vegetabilis, vol. ii, p. 487. 



3 British Med. Jour., June 6, 1885, p. 1145. 



