906 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
acids, consisting of palmitic, stearic, cerotic, oleic, and linolic acids ; iporanol, 
C 2 jH S3 0 2 (OH), ; a new monohydric alcohol, witlianiol, C 25 H 33 0 4 , OH, decom- 
posing at 305°, and having [a] D +91*2° ; and an amorphous alkaloidal principle, 
which, on treatment with alkalis, yielded a crystalline base, C, 2 H l5 N 2 (m 
p. 116'). 
II. Constituents of the Leaves aud Stems.— An alcoholic extract of this 
material, when submitted to distillation with steam, yielded a very small 
amount of an essential oil. The portion of the extract which was soluble in 
water contained, besides tannin and colouring matter, a sugar yielding 
d-phenylglucosazone (m. p. 205°), and a considerable quantity of potassium 
nitrate. 
The portion of the extract which was insoluble in water consisted chiefly 
of resinous material, and was obtained in the form of a dark green powder. 
This resin was found to contain a number of substances which had also been 
isolated from the root of the plant, such as hentriacontane, a phytosterol, 
C 2 jH 4 S 0 (m. P- 133°), a mixture of fatty acids, and ipuranol. In addition 
to these, however, it yielded the following compounds : a new monohydric 
alcohol, somnirol, C S2 H 4J 0 6 - '0H, decomposing at 205° and having [o]d + 34 8°; 
a new dihydric alcohol, sommtol, C 3 jH 44 0 4 (OH) 2 , decomposing at about 
250°, and having [o]d + 2l , 2° ; and an acidic, hydrolytic product, withanio 
acid, C 29 H 43 o«'OOjH (m. p. 226°), the methyl ester of which decomposed at 
265°. 
In as much as the Withania somnifera, unlike some other solanaceous plants, 
had been found to contain no mydriatic alkaloid, it was deemed of interest 
to ascertain whether the sedative or hypnotic properties attributed to it 
could be confirmed. For this purpose, some tests were kindly conducted for 
us at the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories by Drs. H. H. Dale 
and P. P. Laidlaw, to whom our thanks are due. It was thus ascertained 
that alcoholio extracts, representing about 7 grams of the root and 3 grams 
of the leaves and stems respectively, when administered to a dog had no 
perceptible effect. The hypodermic injection of the alkaloidal principle 
obtained from the root likewise produced in a dog no symptom of narcosis 
or other definite result. J. Ch. S. 1911. pp. 508 507). 
867 . W . Coagulans, Dunal. h.f.b.i., iv. 240 . 
V era : — Akri, Punir-ke-bij (Hind.) ; Habbul-kaknaje-Hindi 
(Arab.); Tukhme-kaknaje-Hindi (Pers.) ; , Ashvagandha (Beng.); 
Amukhura-virai (Tam ) ; Panneru-gadda-vittulu (Tel.); Kakan&ja, 
kaknaj (Bom.); Spinbajja, Shapiang, Khum-a-zare; Makha- 
zura ; Panir, Khamjira, Kutilaua (Pb.) ; Punirband, Punir-ja- 
fota (Sind). 
Habitat : — Punjab and Sind ; and the Sutledge valley. 
A somewhat grey, rigid, small shrub. Leaves densely clothed 
with minute, grey, stellate totnentum. Blade l-2in., oblong, 
