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KOLANIN, THE GrLUCOSIDAL PRINCIPLE OF KOLA. 



Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen have set us an illustrious example in 

 the study of drugs by devoting twelve years to the investigation of this 

 plant. Very early in their researches, after exhausting the alkaloids, 

 they separated a body which seemed to them to present an analogy to 

 cinchona red. They found it to contain an active principle which they 

 were at first unable to separate, but which they found to be capable of 

 giving striking physiological results. 



Ernst Knebel, of Steeg, in 1891, also a notable name in the history 

 of this drug, in a long and laborious examination, demonstrated that a 

 glucosidal body was present, to which he gave the name kolanin. 

 Knebel demonstrated that this glucoside upon decomposition, gave caf- 

 feine, glucose and a third non -nitrogenous body. (Knebers kola roth). 



The work of both Heckel and Knebel heretofore referred to upon 

 kolanin was conducted mainly upon the dried drug. It is quite evi- 

 dent from the results obtained by a number of other observers, that, in 

 the undried seed, especially before ripening, little or no caffeine exists 

 as a free alkaloid. 



The kolanin itself is a brown- red, amorphous, bitter powder, insolu- 

 ble in cold water, partly soluble in boiling water, in hot water form- 

 ing a resinous, greasy ball, cooling to a shiny, hard mass. A purified 

 form of kolanin is soluble in boiling water, alcoholic solution of po- 

 tasium hydrate and ammonia. Its alkaline solution is red-brown when 

 cold, but becomes red on warming. Its alcohol solutions do not act 

 upon salts of iron, but are precipitated by plumbic acetate. Upon sub- 

 limation, this product gives out an empyreumatic oil and traces of caf- 

 feine. Upon boiling with dilute hydrochloric acid it is not dissolved, 

 but partly decomposed into glucose and caffeine. Knebel, in his article, 

 demonstrates that the glucoside, kept at a temperature of 60 deg — 

 70 deg. C. for twenty-four hours, is decomposed into its components, 

 viz. : caffeine, glucose and a third product, non -nitrogenous coloring 

 matter, which he names kola roth. 



Kolanin is also decomposed by the action of the ferment of the kola, 

 kolazym by the action of the ferments of the saliva and of the gastric 

 juice. 



Ferments of the Kola. 



It has been proven that there is present in this nut an unorganized 

 ferment, to which the name kolazym has been applied. This body ap- 

 pears to possess manifold powers (possibly there is more than one fer- 

 ment present). Kolazym is a glucosidal enzyme, having the power to 

 split up the glucoside kolanin into glucose, caffeine, and a tannin-like 

 body. It is also a carbohydrate enzyme, giving quite active diastasic 

 action upon starch. It seems to be active in faintly acid solutions, but 

 will act in neutral and feebly alkaline media, acting best at a tempera- 

 ture of about 54 deg. to 65 deg. C. Extreme cold as well as boiling, 

 seems to destroy its powers. This ferment will convert soluble starch 

 into dextrine bodies and sugar. It will decompose kolanin into its 

 constituents, glucose, caffeine and kola red. 



The exact nature and office of plant ferments are somewhat obscure. 

 Prof. J. R. Green, London, gives as an explanation the fact that, in 

 constructive processes of plant life, an excess of material is formed over 

 and above that immediately utilized ; that this excess is temporarily 



