February 10, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
645 
samaderine. I am confirmed in this supposition by 
his description of the manner by which he obtained 
the crystals of samaderine, viz. by treating the 
watery extract with small quantities of alcohol. 
This method could, perhaps, succeed if the sama¬ 
derine was either insoluble, or little soluble, in 
alcohol; but as I found the contrary, tliis method of 
preparation cannot lead to successful results. 
After many unsuccessful endeavours, I at last ob¬ 
tained the samaderine, but not crystallized, by the 
following method:—The alcoholic extract was treated 
with water till all the bitter substance was dissolved 
and the watery solution filtered. The clear liquid, 
which was intensely bitter, was shaken with a large 
quantity of animal charcoal, which absorbed the 
bitter principle. The charcoal was collected on a 
large filter, Avell washed with water and dried. The 
yellow liquid filtered from the charcoal proved to 
contain a relatively large amount of sugar. By 
treating the dried charcoal with alcohol, I obtained 
a slightly yellow liquid, which was intensely bitter. 
Upon distillation of the alcohol there remained a 
slightly-coloured residue, which I suppose to be the 
isolated bitter principle to which Host van Ton- 
ningen has given the name of samaderine. It is 
very soluble both in water and in alcohol, and gives 
with sulphuric acid the characteristic reaction de¬ 
scribed by the above chemist. I suppose it to be a 
glucoside, but the small quantity did not allow me 
to investigate it further, and as I soon afterwards 
left Java, I took it with me to Europe. As now, by 
Mr. Cooke’s papers, the attention of the pharmaceu¬ 
tical public is fixed upon this plant, I forward with 
this paper'my specimen of samaderine to the Museum 
of the Pharmaceutical Society. If samaderine should 
prove to be a valuable medicine, it will be practical 
to use the kernels and not the bark of the tree for 
its preparation ; which kernels will be, at the same 
time, a valuable source of oil. The kernels contain 
the bitter principle in much larger quantity than the 
bark; their collection is accomplished without in- 
jury to the tree; hut if the bark is used, a cutting 
of the tree is involved. 
[ The discussion upon this paper is printed at p. 654.] 
PREPARATION OF CRYSTALLIZED INDIGOTINE. 
BY M. C. MEHU.* 
"While making some experiments with indigotine ob¬ 
tained from urine, the author was led to try its solubility 
in carbolic acid. Indigotine is usually described in che¬ 
mical works as being insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, 
fixed and volatile oils, dilute acids and alkalies. Boil¬ 
ing concentrated alcohol, however, dissolves sufficient to 
acquire a decided blue colour, as also does methylic alco¬ 
hol ; both these solvents lose the greater part of the 
colouring matter upon cooling,—sometimes depositing 
crystals, which, however, require the microscope for their 
detection. But M. Mehu has found that, under the in¬ 
fluence of heat, carbolic acid dissolves freely the blue 
colouring principle of indigo, and deposits the greater 
portion of it upon cooling in a crystalline form. Alco¬ 
hol, camphor (one part to fifteen of the carbolic acid), or 
benzine may be added to prevent the solidification of 
the carbolic acid on cooling; they also assist the preci¬ 
pitation of the colouring matter. 
By this method the author states that, operating with 
* ‘Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie,’ 4th ser. vol. xiv. 
p. 412. 
500 grams of carbolic acid, he has obtained two grams of 
pure indigotine, in crystals which, to the naked eye, 
appear of a copper cqlour, but under the microscope are 
.seen to be dark, frequently opaque blue, and remarkably 
perfect in form. The indigo employed should be washed 
with water, then with water acidulated with hydrochloric 
acid, and finally several times with fresh boiling alcohol. 
The author suggests that this definite form of indigo¬ 
tine might be utilized in colorimetric operations. 
TANNIN AND GLYCERIN. 
BY B. BOTHER. 
Tannic acid is frequently prescribed in concentrated 
solution with glycerin : but tannin, commercially ob¬ 
tained, possesses various impurities which either remain 
as insoluble turbidity or discolour the solution. Firstly, 
a green resinous colouring matter, insoluble in water 
but soluble in strong alcohol and glycerin, invariably 
occurs. This contamination results from the solvent 
action of the ether in the original process of extracting 
the tannin. Secondly, metallic chips of copper, iron, 
etc., from the vessels in which the tannin was dried are 
never absent. 
A concentrated solution of tannin is nearly indispen¬ 
sable among the requisites of the prescription depart¬ 
ment. An aqueous solution, however concentrated it 
may be, will spoil. An alcoholic solution is often ob¬ 
jectionable; but an aqueous solution, containing glyce¬ 
rin, can be utilized on most occasions. 
This solution is best adjusted by weight; it is per¬ 
fectly stable, clear and transparent, and contains one 
troy ounce of tannic acid in two troy ounces of the solu¬ 
tion, that is half tannin by weight. The solvent is the 
other half, or one-fourth each by weight glycerin and 
water. More than this proportion of glycerin cannot 
be used to advantage, as the liquid becomes too thick to 
pour conveniently. This solution cannot be prepared, 
however, by directly combining the three ingredients, 
as the impurities must first be removed; and the only 
preliminary solvent for this purpose, which the writer 
has found to answer perfectly, is a mixture of equal 
measures of strong alcohol and water. A very concen¬ 
trated solution, in the proportion of two parts of liquid 
to one of tannin, can be formed with the aid of heat, 
which filters with the greatest facility, leaving the re¬ 
sinous colouring matter and the metals untouched. 
Alcohol alone, in the proportion of four to one of 
tannin, would not filter well. Water, in the proportion 
of at least four to one of tannin, would not filter even as 
rapidly as the solution with alcohol'; and whilst the 
alcoholic solution becomes turbid with water, the aque¬ 
ous solution never became clear from the first, and, 
moreover, was always much darkened by the metallic 
impurities forming coloured soluble tannates. The pre¬ 
liminary solvent and permanent solvent above proposed 
are, therefore, the only available ones. These form a 
light green, thin, syrupy solution, miscible with glycerin 
and water in all proportions without losing their bright¬ 
ness, and forming in a more dilute condition colourless 
solutions. 
From these observations the following formula is de¬ 
duced :— 
Take of Tannin .... 8 troy ounces. 
Glycerin . . . . 4 ,, ,, 
Strong Alcohol. . 8 fluid ounces. 
Water.8 „ „ 
Mix the alcohol and water; add the tannin and apply 
heat until the tannin is dissolved. Filter hot, then add 
the glycerin and evaporate by a caretul heat until the 
solution weighs 16 troy ounces.— Chicago Pharmacist. 
