126 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS, 



dition, separates from most of the usual organic solvents in glistening leaflets 

 (m. pt. 68°C, b. pt. 247 c -248 c ) 20 mm., [a] D = + 56° has the formula C l8 H 32 2 , 

 and is designated chau Imoogric acid. It combines with only two atomic pro- 

 portions of bromine or iodine. Palmitic acid also was identified,, and there 

 is reason for assuming the presence of a near homologue or homologues of 

 chaulmoogric acid, but belonging to the series having the general formula 

 CnH 2 n-±0 2 < with two ethylemic linkings. Undecylic acid and hydroxy acids 

 were proved to be absent, and an individual acid corresponding to hypogseic 

 acid, could not be isolated. The " gynocardic acid " of all previous investi- 

 gators is believed to be a mixture of several substances. T he " presscake " 

 yielded, besides formic and acetic acids and a very small amount of volatile 

 esters having the characteristic odor of the seeds, an appreciable amount of 

 a neutral oily substance, C ia B 32 2 (b. pt. 214°— 215° 18 mm. ; sp. gr., 0-9066 at 

 16716° C., [«]d= -f 42-4°) which is isomeric with chaulmoogric acid. 



Mr. P. C. Chattopaddhyaya has analysed the seed and pub- 

 lished his results in the American Journal of Pharmacy for 

 1915 pp. 473-483 of which the following is the Summary. 



A sample of cold drawn oil from genuine seeds of Taraktagenos Kurzii 

 (true chaulmoogra seeds) and an oil derived from supposedly genuine, but 

 probably mixed seeds, by hot expression, were examined. The former was 

 a pale yellow oil and remained liquid at 15°C, whilst the latter was a 

 brownish yellow buttery substance which was separated by filtration into 

 about equal parts of a clear oil and a solid fat (chaulmoogra fat) before 

 analysis. The following values were obtained : — 



