S. O. L0GAN1ACE,E. 841 



The fat is obtained from the seeds of nux-vomica by extraction with ether, 

 and is a by-product in the manufacture of the alkaloids, strychnine and 

 bracine. The yield of the fat is about 4 per cent. (Harvey and Wilkie), 4-2 

 per cent. (Sehroeder). The fat melts at about 29°, it has a low saponification 

 value below 100 and 170, iodine value, G9 to 70. A considerable amount of 

 unsaponitiable matter is present, from 12 to 16 per cent. According to Sehroe- 

 der (1905) the fat contains 8"6 per cent of solid glycerides (palmitin and 

 arachin) and 74'5 per cent, of olein. (Hooper). 



Nux vomica contains 1 — 2% of a concrete oil or fat which consists princi- 

 pally of the glycerides of capric, caprylic, eaproic, butyric and palmitic acids. 

 The unsaponitiable matter consists of a satd. ale. C^HgoOH, and an unsatd. 

 ale. C 32 H S4 0.5H 2 behaving like syroceryl ale. The oil is dark brown in color 

 and possesses an unpleasant odor. An analysis gave : dJJ° 5 o 0.892, sol. point 

 60 c , sapon. no. 152, 1 no. (Hubl) 54. Reichert-Wollny no. 1.0, acetyl no. 31*2, acid 

 no. 33.7.— (Chemical Abstracts May 20, 1916 p. 1404. 



The unsaponitiable portion of the oil may be separated into the fractions, 

 (a) a resinous portion, (b) a phytosterol, m p. 158°, (c) an ale, C 35 H 57 OH 

 (C« H 2 „ —120) or C 35 H 59 OH (C« H. 2U -10 O), m.p. 90°, [a]z> -f 90 c , raol. wt. 496. 

 The ale. contains no double bond and is probably related to arayrin. Esters of 

 Ac O H, propionic, benzoic and salicylic acids were prepared. Of the Ac OH 

 ester the molecular wt. =512, [a]o = +74*47. The ale, C 32 H 53 OH, possesses 

 double bond in the side chain, its properties coincide in many respects with 

 those of the sycoceryl ale. of De la Rue and Mueller. No sepn. of the un- 

 saponitiable portions of the oil could be effected accoding to the method of 

 Darmstaedter and Lifschuetz. (Ch. A., March 20, 1916, p. 800.) 



790. S. potatorum, Linn. f. h.f.b.l, iv. 90; 

 Roxb. 194. 



Habitat: — Deccan Peninsula, extending north-west to the 

 Sone river. 



Sans. : — Kataka, Ainbu-prasada. 



Vern : — Nirmali (Hind, and Beng.) ; Chil-binj (Dec.) ; 

 Tetran-kottai (Tarn.) ; Chillaginjalu (Tel.) ; Titran-parala (Mai.) ; 

 Chiligidda ; Chell-biga (Kan.); Nirmali, nivali (Mar.); Kamon- 

 yeki (Burm.). Gapra (Bomb.). 

 English : — Clearing Nut Tree. 



A moderate-sized, deciduous tree, attaining 40ft. Bark £-f in. 

 thick, black or brownish-black, corky, very deeply and narrowly 

 cleft vertically, so as to form thin ridges which easily break off. 

 Wood white when fresh cut, turning yellowish-grey on exposure, 

 hard, close-grained, no heartwood (Gamble), wholly glabrous ; 

 trunk often fluted. Leaves 2 \ by lin., ovate or elliptic, coriace- 

 ous, sessile, glabrous or nearly so, acute at both ends, hardly 

 106 



