128 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



These results indicate that the genuine oil consists almost wholly of 

 triglycerides of lauric, chaulmoogric, and linolic acids, whilst the doubtful oil 

 is a mixture of tri- and diglycerides. 



On neutralising the oil with alcoholic potash and adding a dilute solution 

 of calcium, magnesium, or zinc chloride, the corresponding metallic salt of 

 "gynocardic acid " is precipitated. Calcium and magnesium " gynocardates " 

 are white crystalline substances slightly soluble in boiling water and most 

 soluble in bailing alcohol, whilst zinc "gynocardate " is white and 

 crystalline, insoluble in water and only very sparingly soluble in 

 boiling alcohol, 10 drops of the genuine oil stirred with 1 drop of 

 sulphuric acid gave a yellow coloration, changing rapidly to reddish-brown 

 and finally to dirty brown, whilst the doubtful oil gave similar colour 

 changes, but the final coloration was olive-green, this reaction being also 

 given by the fatty acids from both oils and bj chaulmoogra fat.— 

 J. Oh. I. Nov. 15, 1915. 



But in the American Journal of Pharmacy, for 1915 (pp. 



4.93 — 500), Mr. Frederick B. Power severely criticises the above 



paper. 



He emphasizes the statement that chaulmoogra (Taraktogenos) oil and 

 gynocardia oil are totally unlike, both in their physical characters and 

 chem. compn. Along with data establishing the authenticity of his oils, 

 Mr. Power gives the following : Physical characters : (1) chaulmoogra oil : 

 soft solid at ordinary temp., m. 22-3°, d 2S 0.951 and d iS 0*940, [a]J5 -f 52-0°, 

 acid value 23.9, sapon. value 213*0, I value 103-2. (2) Gynocardia oil : pale 

 yellow liquid at ordinary temps., odor resembling that of linseed oil, d 25 

 0*925, acid value 4-90, sapon. value 197*0. I value 152.8. Chemical composi- 

 tion : (1) chaulmoogra oil : (from the seeds of Taraktogenos Kurzii, King), 

 optically active, consists, to a large extent, of the glyceryl esters of 

 optically active acids of an entirety new type, represented by the general 

 formula CnH 2n — 4 2 , having a cyclic structure. The acid present in the 

 largest proportion possesses the formula C 18 H S2 2 , m. 68°, [a] D -f56 c , and 

 has been designated chaulmoogric acid, while a lower homolog, C 16 H 28 2 , 

 m. 60°, [a] D +68°, has been termed hydnocarpic acid, on account of having first 

 been isolated from a hydnocarpus oil {J. Chem. Soc. 87, 888 (1905)). Both of 

 these acids are beautifully cryst. substances, from which a number of derivs. 

 have been prepd., and their constitution has also been definitely established 

 (O. A. 1, 1561, 2114). Inasmuch as acids of the above described type had 

 hitherto not been known to occur in a fatty oil, they have been classified by 

 Lewkowitsch (" Chemical Technology and Analysis of Oils, Fats and Waxes") 

 under the heading of "the chaulmoogric acid series." Chaulmoogra oil 

 contains, furthermore, a relatively small proportion of palmitic acid and a 

 phytosterol. (2) Gynocardia oil (from the seeds of Gynocardia odorata, 

 R. Br.) is completely devoid of optical activity, contains none of the members 

 of the chaulmoogric acid series, and has been shown to consist of the glyceryl 

 esters of the following acids : (c/. J. Chem. Soc. 87, 896-900 (1905 >) ; (1) linolic 

 acid, or isomerides of the same series, constituting the largest proportion 



