954 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
mucilage itself.” With regard to the value of the seeds as an 
emmenagogue, Dr. Evers says : “ In three cases of congestive 
dysmenorrhoea I administered the powder of the seeds in 10- 
grain doses, three or four times a day, with benefit. I have at 
the same time employed the hip-bath recommended by Waring. 
It is commonly believed in the south of India that the seeds, 
when eaten by pregnant women, are likely to induce abortion ; 
but no instance of the kind has ever come under my notice, 
nor have I heard of any.” 
“ I have for a long time used the following in gonorrhoea, 
and prefer it to copaiba or liquor potassse, R. 01. Sesami m xx ; 
Aquas Calcis m xx ; Aquae 3j. in mixture.” (Hon. Surg. Morris 
in Watt’s Dictionary.) 
Regarding the amount of oil in the seed, Leather found that the variation 
is from 48 to 62 per cent, though some specimens contained as much as 56 per 
ceht. and some as little as 46 per cent. These differences appear to be.inde- 
pendent of variety, province or climate. From 42 to 48 per cent, of oil may he 
obtained by expression. The seeds also contain about 8 per cent, of nitrogen 
and the cake is an excellent cattle-food. If made from unsound seed the cake 
may be used as a manure. 
Sesame oil has been frequently examined by chemists, and the following 
average constants are quoted : Specific gravity at 16°, 0'923 to 0 - 926 ; solidify- 
ing point,— 5° ; saponification value, 187’6 to 194 6 ; iodine value, 108 to 116 ; 
Roichert-Meissl value, 1*2 ; Maumene test, 63“ to 5’ ; butyro-refractometer 
at 25°, 68 0 ; insoluble fatty acids and unsaponifiable, 95'7 ; melting point, 26“ 
to 30° : neutralisation value, 196 to 2C1 ; mean molecular weight, 286. 
Sesame oil contains, according to Farnsteiner, 12-1 to 14T per cent, of solid 
scids, and according to Lane 78-1 per cent, of liquid fatty acids. These con- 
sist of oleic and linolic acids. Sesame oil is dextro-rotatory, a property 
which may be used as an additional means of identifying the oil. The Indian 
oil has a lower rotation than African. The amount of unsaponifiable matter 
in sesame oil. varies from 0'95 to 1'32 per ceht. and contains phytosterol, 
.sesamin and a socalled red oil. The phytosterol recrystallised from alcohol 
melts at 139°- 1S9'2’. In 1891 Tocher extracted from the oil, by means of 
glacial acetic acid, a crystalline substance named sesamin. This melts at 
118° and assumes a green and then bright red colour with nitro-sulphuric acid. 
An extremely characteristic colour reaction, called Baudouin’s test, is now 
nsed to detect the presence of sesame oil in mixtures with other oils. The 
test is applied as follows : Dissolve OT grm. of sugar in 10 c.c. of hydrochloric 
acid of specific gravity 1 - 19 in a test tube, add 20 c.c. of the oil to be tested, 
shake thoroughly for one minute and allow to stand. The aqueous solution 
separates readily, and in the presence of even the smallest quantity of sesamo 
oil, it will be found coloured crimson. — (Agricl. Ledger, 1911-12, No. 6). 
