RADIX VALERIANAE. 379 



zone ; the medullary rays are not distinctly obvious. In old rootstocks, 

 sclerenehymatous cells are met with in the cortical tissue. 



The parenchyme of the drug is loaded with small starch granules, 

 brownish grains of tannic matter and drops of essential oil. Numerous 

 oil ducts are met with in the outer layer of the tissue. 



Chemical Composition — Volatile oil is contained in the dry root 

 to the extent of ^ to 2 per cent., yet on an average appears scarcely to 

 exceed 4 per cent. This variation in quantity is partly explained by 

 the influence of locality, a dry, stony soil yielding a root richer in oil 

 than one that is moist and fertile. In the latter the plant may be dis- 

 tinguished as the variety aamhucifolia, which has a less vigorous root, 

 devoid of runners. 



Schoonbroodt^ has shown that the most important influence is the 

 recent condition of the root. He states that if the root is submitted to 

 distillation when perfectly fresh, it yields a neutral water and a large 

 quantity of essential oil. The latter has but a very faint odour, but by 

 exposure to the air it slowly acidifies, especially if a little alkali is 

 added, and acquires a strong smell. Valenanic Acid which is thus 

 formed amounts to 6 per mille of the fresh root. The dried root yields 

 a distillate of decided valerian odour, containing valerianic acid, but in 

 proportion not exceeding 4 per mille of the root calculated as fresh. 



The oil of valerian is of a very peculiar yellowish or brownish, some- 

 times even almost a little greenish hue, and possessing the characteristic 

 odour of the drug. We found it to deviate the plane of polarization 

 from 11° to 13° to the left when examined by Wild's Polaristrobometer 

 in a column of 50 millimetres. By submitting it to fractional distilla- 

 tion we noticed" that it affords a magnificent blue fraction. A superb 

 violet or blue colour is produced if one drop of the crude oil dissolved 

 in about 20 drops of bisulphide of carbon is mixed with 1 drop of nitric 

 acid 1"20 sp. gr. Other colorations are produced if bromine or concen- 

 trated sulphuric acid are used ; ^ even the tincture of valerian displays 

 similar reactions. 



Bruylants (1878) has isolated from oil of valerian — 1st. A hydro- 

 carbon, C^'H^^ boiling at 157° C, yielding a cr^'stallized compound with 

 HCl. 2nd. The liquid compound C"H^®0, which by means of chromic 

 acid affords common camphor and formic, acetic and valerianic acids, 

 which are met with in old valerian root, owing no doubt to the slow 

 oxidation of the compound C^*'ff®0. 3rd. There is also present a 

 crystallizable compound of the same composition, which is probably 

 identical with the camphor of Dryobalanops aromatica (see our article 

 on Camphora). It would appear that this substance is of alcoholic 

 nature, being combined in the root with the 3 organic acids mentioned 

 under 2nd. On distilling, these compound ethers are resolved partly 

 into the alcohol CP^H^^O (bomeol) and the acids. This decomposition 

 is fully performed, if the root is macerated with alkaline water, and 

 then, on distilling, a slight excess of sulphuric acid is added. 4th. At 



sur lea VaUrlanies, Paris, 1872, illustrated ^ Archiv der Pharmacie, 209 (1876). 



by 14 beautiful plates. 3 Jahresbericht of Wiggersand Husemann, 



1 Joum. de Mddecine de Bruxelles, 1867 1871. 462. 

 and 1868 ; Jahresbericht of Wiggers and 

 Husemann, 1869. 17. 



