1368 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Kamala was first analysed by Dr. Thomas Anderson of Glasgow in 1855 who 

 found the following constituents in 100 parts :— 78*19 of resinous colouring 

 matter, 7*34 of albumen, 7*14 of cellulose, a trace of volatile oil, 3*84 of ashes, 

 and 3'49 of water. Of the resinous colouring matters Dr. Anderson obtained 

 one in a pure state by allowing a concentrated ethereal solution to stand for 

 two days, drying and pressing in bibulous paper the resulting mass of 

 granular crystals, and purifying them from adhering resin by repeated solu- 

 tion in ether and crystallisation. To this substance he gave the name of 

 Rottlerin. It occurs in crystalline plates of a yellow colour insoluble in 

 water, but soluble in alcohol, ether and alkaline solutions. The formula was 

 Cn H 10 3 . 



B. G, Leube, Jr. (Jahresbericht, 1860, 562), however, was unable to obtain 

 any crystalline product, but he describes a resin melting at 80°, having the 

 formula C 15 H l8 4 , and a resin melting at 191°, of the formula C 3 H 12 O s . 

 Oettingen of Russia, in 1862, was unable to obtain any crystalline substance 

 from kamala. 



A. G. Perkin and W. H Perkin, Jr., in 1886 made a preliminary examinatic n 

 of kamala and separated by means of carbon bisulphide a yellow crystalline 

 body Mallotoxin. On pursuing the investigation, Mr. A. G. Perkin contribut- 

 ed a full account of the constituents in Journ. Chem. Soc. LXI1I. (1893), 

 pages 975-90. Rottlerin, the principal constituent, crystallises in salmon- 

 coloured plates melting at 191-191*5°. When heated with caustic potash it 

 yields benzoic acid, acetic acid and an amorphous substance. A resin of low 

 melting point with the formula C 12 H l2 8 and closely associated with 

 Rottlerin in many of its properties. When boiled with dilute alkalis the 

 odour of benzaldehyde is noticeable. 



A yellow crystalline colouring matter present in minute amount melting at 

 192-193°. 



A wax, having a composition agreeing with the formula C 28 H 54 2 , and 

 melting at 82°, the melting point of cetylic cerotinate. 



The residue left on extracting kamala with carbon bisulphide contains two 

 substances isorottlcrin and a resin of higher melting point both soluble in 

 ether. 



Isorottlcrin crystallises in groups of minute plates melting at 198-199°. Tt 

 differs from rottlerin by being practically insoluble in carbon bisulphide, 

 chloroform and benzene. 



The rasin of high melting point is a pale yellow amorphous subtance of the 

 formula C 13 H 12 4 . 



In a subsequent paper on the chemistry of kamala [Journ. Chem. Soc. 

 LXVII (1895), 230], Perkin continued the study of Rottlerin, the principal 

 crystalline constituent, and showed the action upon it of nitric acid and 

 sodium carbonate, the former yielding ortho and para-nit rocinnamic acids 

 and the latter rottlerone. The yellow crystalline colouring matter contained 

 more hydrogen than Rottlerin and is probably a reduction product of this 

 body. The name homo-rottlerin was given to it. 



In a further note on Rottlerin (Journ. Chem. Soc. 1899. LXXV., page 827) 

 Perkin deduced from analyses of its mono-substitui ed salts the formula C 33 



