N 0. SOLAN AOEJ 1 
903 
alcohol, and insoluble in water. It has an acid reaction, dissolves in alkaline 
solutions, but is precipitated by carbonic anhydride. It has an extremely 
burning taste, and, when heated, gives off vapours which violently attack the 
mucous membrane. 
The average amount ol lecithin in the dried seeds was found to be 1'82 
per cent., when determined directly by Schulze and Steiger's method. 
Fresh analyses of the seeds were made, as before, by Henneberg’s method, 
but the results do not differ much from those previously obtained, except 
in the case of nitrogen-free extract (29'64) and the crude fibre (21'23 per cent, 
on dry matter). The crude fibre was redetermined by Schulze's method ; the 
average result was 80 50 per cent. Tho nitrogen-free extract then amounts 
to 2010 percent, consisting in part only of carbohydrates. There seems 
to be only a trace of a true carbohydrate (either dextrose or a substance 
Which, when hydrolysed, gives dextrose) ; pentoses are present in greater 
amount, whilst galactose, mannose, starch, and canc sugar, etc., could not 
be detected. 
By means of 1'6 per cent aqueous potash, a new carbohydrate, termed 
capsicum seed vatcilagc, was extracted from the seeds. It is insoluble in 
water, merely swelling. With iodine, a green coloration is produced which 
rapidly becomes blue. Zinc chloride and potassium iodide give no reaction. 
After boiling with acids, it readily reduces Fehling's solution. It contains 
pentose and probably galactose groups. 
The pure ash of the placenta has tho following percentage composition. 
K,a 
Na,0 
OaO 
MgO 
Fe 2 0 3 
PrO s 
OO'OO 
4 44 
4-70 
3-97 
0-8S 
8-75 
Soj 
Si0 5 
Cl 
8-82 
3-72 
2-89 
Alumina and manganese were found in traces in the ash— J. Ch. S. I, XX. 
pt. II. p. 209-210. (1890). 
86(3. Withcinia somnif era, banal. H.f.b.i., iv. 
239. 
Syu. :-^-Bhysalis flexuosa, Linn. Koxb. 189. 
Hans. : — Aslivagandhu. 
Vern.: — Asgand (H. > ; Amkoolang (Tam.) ; Peneroo (Tel.) ; 
Pevetti (Mai.); Nati-ki-asgand (Deccan) ; Amuk-kura-virai 
(Tam.) ; Buuera-gadda-vittulu (Tel.) ; Bayntan (Sind). 
Habitat: — Throughout drier, subiropical India; frequent iu 
the West and Hindustan, rare in Lower Bengal. 
An unarmed, erect shrub, attains 5ft. , often semi-shrubby 
at base ; root long, tapering. Stems branched, covered with 
