N. O. SCROPHULARINEiE. 1)35 



The following note on it was distributed ; — 



Purpose.— To test the efficiency of the root of Picrorhiza Kurroa as to a 

 tonic and febribuge. For the purpose a tincture is provided, made according 

 to the recipe of the British Pharmacopceiu. Indian and Colonial Addendum, 

 Government of India Edition, 1901, page 50. 



Dose— \ to 1 fluid drachm. 



Note.— The drug as an antiperiodic seems to be very inferior to quinine, 

 but as a bitter tonic, is, we believe, distinctly serviceable. It is extensively 

 used in India under the name of Kutki, but it is far from being the only 

 Kutki in the bazars, where several drugs bear this name, e.g., Black Hellebore 

 and Qenti&na Kurroo. 



The root of Picrorhiza Kurroa is somewhat purgative. The active princi- 

 ple is picrorhizin. 



The authors of the Pharmacogaphia Indica say :— " We can state from 

 personal obseration that it is used successfully as an antiperiodic in native 

 (practice its slight laxative action is rather beneficial than otherwise. " 

 Pharm. Indica, Volume III, page 11)." 



Chemical composition. — A proximate analysis of this drug showed the 

 following percentage composition : — 



Wax ... ... ... ... 106 



Bitter principle (Picrorhizin) ... 14*96 



Picrorhizetin ... ... ... 385 



Organic acid ppt. by lead ... ... 3*54 



Glucose ... ... ... 11-53 



Cathartic acid, &c. (water extract) ... 9*33 



Substances dissolved by NaHO ... 7*62 



Arabin bodies from crude fibre ... 14*56 



Fibre ... ... ... ... 24*00 



Moisture ... ,. r ... 5.73 



Ash ... ... ... ... 3*82 



The bitter principle is a glucoside Picrorhizin, freely soluble in water and 

 alcohol, but almost insoluble in pure ether. It is acid in reaction, is not 

 precipitated from solution by lead salts or tannin, but is absorbed by animal 

 charcoal together with any colouring matter that is present. It is best 

 obtained by exhausting the powdered drug with crude ether, and is left, after 

 the evaporation of the ether, in brown resinoid drops which form ramified 

 crystals on standing. It is difficult to obtain the picrorhizin in a crystalline 

 condition after heating or after solution in water. Any wax removed by the 

 crude ether can be separated from the dry extract by petroleum spirit, which 

 has no solvent action on the bitter principle. The picrorhizin is decomposed 

 by hydrolizing it with a boiling 1 per cent, solution of hydrochloric acid for 

 three hours, and a decomposition product, which we have named Picrorhizetin 

 is formed together with glucose. In obtaining 0*7 gram of picrorhizetin *36S 

 gram separated during the first hour, 219 gram in the second hour, *113 gram 

 in the second hour, *113 gram in the third hour, and none in the fourth. 

 Weighed quantities of the picrorhizin, after drying at 100 C C, afforded, on 

 hydrolysis, 62*48 and 62 79 per cent, of picrorhizetin, as the result of two 



