SCAMMONY 351 



(c) The remarkable structure of the transverse section, 



(d) The presence of resin cells ; 



and should compare the root with belladonna, which is usually smaller, 

 darker externally, odourless, and has an entirely different structure. 



Constituents. Scammony root contains from 3 to 13 (average about 

 9) per cent, of a glucosidal resin which can be isolated by mixing a 

 strong tincture with water, washing and drying the precipitated resin. 

 The latter should be entirely, or almost entirely (97 per cent.) soluble 

 in ether, and in this respect differs from the resin obtained in a similar 

 manner from jalap, which is only partially (not more than 10 per cent.) 

 soluble in that menstruum. The resin is extremely complex in com- 

 position and consists to a large extent of the glucosides and methyl- 

 pentosides of jalapinolic acid and its methyl ester. The methylpentose 

 obtained by the hydrolysis of the resin appears to be rhamnose and not 

 identical with that from the resin of Orizaba root (see p. 355). The 

 resin is hydrolysed by potassium hydroxide or barium hydroxide with 

 production of methylbutyric, tiglic, formic, valeric, jalapinolic and 

 other acids together with rhamnose. Jalapinolic acid has also been 

 termed scammonolic acid. The resin also contains a small percentage 

 of fat (palmitin, stearin, olein, linolin, &c.) 



Note. The British Pharmacopoeia (1914) requires not less than 75 per cent, 

 of the resin to be soluble in ether ; the difference between this figure and that 

 given above is due to the fact that the Pharmacopoeia permits the use of Orizaba 

 root in the production of the resin, and that Orizaba resin is less soluble in ether 

 (65 to 70 per cent.). When scammony resin is boiled with solution of potassium 

 hydroxide, and the solution acidified, turbidity only, due to the fat in the resin, 

 is produced ; most other resins produce a distinct precipitate. 



Scammony root contains also a little sucrose and reducing sugar, 

 starch, ^-methylsesculetin (see p. 343), dihydroxycinnamic acid, a 

 phytosterol, the alcohol ipuranol and a trace of volatile oil. The starch 

 occurs in grains of characteristic appearance, an important fact, as it 

 is sometimes necessary in examining scammony to distinguish the 

 starch of the scammony root from other starches that may possibly 

 have been fraudulently added. 



Uses. Scammony root is employed only as a source of scammony 

 resin, which can be more economically prepared from the root than 

 from the expensive gum-resin. Much of the commercial resin is, 

 however, at present obtained from Orizaba root (male or woody jalap, 

 Mexican scammony ; compare p. 355). 



JALAP 



(Radix Jalapae) 



Source, &C. Jalap is obtained from Ipomcea Purga, Hayne (N.O. 

 Convolvulacce), a plant with climbing, twining stems indigenous to 



