954 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



mucilage itself." With regard to the value of the seeds as an 

 emmenagogue, Dr. Evers says : " In three cases of congestive 

 dysmenorrhoea I administered the powder of the seeds in 10- 

 grain doses, three or four times a day, with benefit. I have at 

 the same time employed the hip-bath recommended by Waring. 

 It is commonly believed in the south of India that the seeds, 

 when eaten by pregnant women, are likely to induce abortion ; 

 but no instance of the kind has ever come under my notice, 

 nor have I heard of any." 



" I have for a long time used the following in gonorrhoea, 



and prefer it to copaiba or liquor potassae, R. 01. Sesami m xx ; 



Aquae Calcis m xx ; Aquas 3j. in mixture." (Hon. Surg. Morris 



in Watt's Dictionary.) 



Regarding the amount of oil in the seed, Leather found that the variation 

 is from 48 to 52 per cent, though some specimens contained as much as 56 per 

 cent, and some as little as 45 per cent. These differences appear to be inde- 

 pendent of variety, province or climate. Prom 42 to 48 per cent, of oil may I e 

 obtained by expression. The seeds also contain about 3 per cent, of nitrogen 

 and the cake is an excellent cattle-food. If made from unsound seed the cake 

 may be used as a manure. 



Sesame oil has been frequently examined by chemists, and the following 

 average constants are quoted : Specific gravity at 15°, 0*923 to 0*926 ; solidify- 

 ing point,— 5° ; saponification value, 187*6 to 194*6 ; iodine value, 103 to 115 ; 

 Reichert-Meissl value, 1*2 ; Maumene test, 63 3 to 5° ; butyro-refractoraeter 

 at 25°, 680 ; insoluble fatty acids and unsaponifiable, 95*7 ; melting point, 25° 

 to 30° : neutralisation value, 196 to 2C1 ; mean molecular weight, 286. 



Sesame oil contains, according to Parnsteiner, 12*1 to 14*1 per cent, of solid 

 scids, and according to Lane 78*1 per cent, of liquid fatty acids. These con- 

 sist of oleic and linolic acids. Sesame oil is dextro-rotatory, a property 

 which may be used as an additional means of identifying the oil. The Indian 

 oil has a lower rotation than African. The amount of unsaponifiable matter 

 in sesame oil varies from 0*95 to 1'32 per cent, and contains phytosterol, 

 sesamin and a socalled red oil. The phytosterol receystallised from alcohol 

 melts at 139° -139-2°. In 1891 Tocher extracted from the oil, by means of 

 glacial acetic acid, a crystalline substance named sesamin. This melts at 

 118° and assumes a green and then bright red colour with nitro-sulphuric acid. 

 An extremely characteristic colour reaction, called Baudouin's test, is now 

 used to detect the presence of sesame oil in mixtures with other oils. The 

 test is applied as follows : Dissolve 0*1 grm. of sugar in 10 c.c. of hydrochloric 

 acid of specific gravity 1*19 in a test tube, add 20 c.c. of the oil to be tested, 

 shake thoroughly for one minute and allow to stand. The aqueous solution 

 separates readily, and in the presence of even the smallest quantity of sesame 

 oil, it will be found coloured crimson.— (Agricl. Ledger, 1911-12, No. 5). 



