SMILACIN. 461 



in alcohol and ether. Soluble in alkalies, with a violet 

 color. 



Santonin (Santonic acid), C 15 H 18 3 , in the seeds of 

 Artemisia santonica, of which it forms the active prin- 

 ciple. The seeds are mixed with about half their 

 weight of caustic lime, and extracted with dilute alco- 

 hol. The extract, after being distilled, is filtered and 

 boiled with acetic acid. The santonin, which crystal- 

 lizes out on cooling, is purified by recrystallizing from 

 alcohol, and treating with animal charcoal. Very 

 shiny, colorless prisms, of a slightly bitter taste; 

 scarcely soluble in water, easily soluble in hot alcohol; 

 fusible at 170, solidifying in a crystalline form, but 

 when cooled suddenly becoming amorphous ; only par- 

 tially sublimable. Weak acid. The colorless crystals 

 become a bright yellow in direct sunlight, frequently 

 cracking ; their composition, however, does not appear 

 to be changed. Exposed to direct sunlight for a long 

 time in an alcoholic solution, it is converted into pho- 

 tosantoriin, 23 H 34 6 (?), formic acid and other products 

 being formed at the same time. Photosantonin crys- 

 tallizes in colorless laminse, fusing at 64-65. 



Scoparin, C 21 H 22 10 ,in Spartium scoparium, together 

 with sparteine (p. 435). When its alcoholic solution is 

 allowed to evaporate spontaneously, it is obtained in 

 small, stellate crystals. Slightly soluble in cold water 

 arid cold alcohol, easily soluble in the hot liquids. It 

 is dissolved by the alkalies with a yellowish-green 

 color, and from these solutions it is thrown down by 

 acids as a white, amorphous precipitate. Fused with 

 potassa it yields phloroglucin and protocatechuic acid. 



Smilacin, C 18 H 30 6 (?), in sarsaparilla (the root of 

 various species of Smilax), from which it can be ob- 

 tained by boiling with alcohol. Fine, colorless prisms. 

 Insoluble in cold water, slightly soluble in hot water, 

 forming a disagreeably tasting and strongly foaming 

 liquid. Easily soluble in ether and hot alcohol. 



39* 



