1084 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Rumicin, C 15 H 10 O 4 , crystallises from light petroleum in golden-yellow 

 leaflets with metallic lustre, and melts at 186-188° ; the solution in caustic 

 potash is purple-red, becoming colourless on exposure to carbonic anhydride, 

 which precipitates rumicin. When heated with hydriodic acid, it yields 

 chrysophano-hydro-anthrone, which is obtained from chrysophanic acid under 

 the influence of the same agent. 



Nepalin, C 17 H 14r 4 , crystallises from glacial acetic acid in microscopic, 

 orange needles, and melts at 136°; it is insoluble in alkali carbonates, 

 but dissolves in caustic potash, forming a purple solution, which becomes 

 colourless under the influence of carbonic anhydride. The solution in 

 concentrated sulphuric acid is blood-red. The diacetyl derivative crystallises 

 from glacial acetic acid in lustrous, brownish-yellow rhombohedra, which 

 darken at 170°, and melt at 181°. 



Nepodin, 18 H 16 O 4 , crystallises from a mixture of benzene light petroleum in 

 long, greenish-yellow prisms, and melts at 158°. It dissolves readily in 

 alkali carbonates, forming a yellowish-brown solution ; the solution in con- 

 centrated sulphuric acid is an intense, yellowish-red colour. The diacetyl 

 derivative crystallises in pale-yellow rhombohedra, darkens at 180° and melts 

 and decomposes at 168°. 



These three constituents of Rumes nepalemis, of which nepalin greatly 

 preponderates, are separated from one another by extracting the root with 

 ether, removing nepodin by means of aqueous potassium carbonate, evaporat- 

 ing the ether, and extracting the rumicin from the residue with boiling 

 acetone ; the nepalin remaining undissolved. (J. Ch. S. 1896 A. I. 573.) 



Rumicin is chrysophanic acid, uncontaminated with methyl, chrysophanic 

 acid, whilst nepalin is identical with nepodin, C l8 H 16 4 . (J. Ch. S. 1900 A. I. 

 41). 



1073. R. vesicarius, Linn., h.f.b.i., v. 61. ; Roxb. 

 309, 



Sans. : — Chukra ; Shutavedhee. 



Vern. : — Chuka Chukapalang (H. and B.) ; Shakkan-kirai 

 (Tarn.) ; Shukk-kura-ku (Tel.) ; Sukhasag (Assam) ; Ambut 

 chuka (C. P.) ; Triwakka, khatbiri, khattitan, khatta mitha, 

 salani (Pb.); Chuka (Sind) ; Ambari, chukka (Deccan) ; Chuka 

 (Bomb.). 



Habitat : — Western Punjab ; on the Salt Range and Trans- 

 Indus hills ; cultivated, and an escape in other parts of India. 



A pale-green annual, monoeicous, glabrous, 6-1 2in. high, 

 dichotomously branched from the root, rather fleshy. Leaves 

 petioled, elliptic, ovate or oblong, 3-5-nerved, base cuneate, rarely 

 cordate or hastate, l-3in. acute or obtuse. Petiole as long as 

 the blade. Racemes short, terminal, leaf-opposed, leafless, 1-1 Jin.; 



