1128 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
to be 4.845 per cent. As high as 8.99 per cent, has been re¬ 
ported. 33 . 
Constituents of Therapeutic Importance 
The oleoresin of pepper is said to be used chiefly in the South, 
where it is administered with quinine in the treatment of “in¬ 
termittent fever.” Its value in this connection is accounted 
for by the presence of piperine which has been shown to be an 
active antiperiodic. * 1 Piperdine and methyl pyrroline, if pres¬ 
ent, would impart similar properties, 2 while the composition of 
the contained volatile oil would indicate a carminative action. 
Physical Properties 
Color: The color of the oleoresin, when the latter was spread 
out in a thin layer on a white porcelain surface, was observed 
to be a greenish-brown, closely resembling that of the oleoresin 
of cubeb when prepared from the ripe fruits. The so-called oil 
of black pepper, sometimes sold as a substitute for the official 
oleoresin, is stated to be considerably darker in color due to the 
removal of the greater part of the volatile oil. 
Odor: The odor, while slight, resembles that of ground 
pepper. 
Taste: The taste is sharp and spicy, the sharpness becom¬ 
ing more noticeable after the oleoresin has been retained in the 
mouth for a short time. 
Consistence: The oleoresin is a thick, sticky liquid which 
can only be poured with difficulty. The fluidity is greatly in¬ 
creased by heating the preparation on a water bath. 
Solubility: The oleoresin is completely soluble in alcohol, 
ether, acetone, chloroform, carbon disulphide and glacial acetic 
acid. It is only partially soluble in petroleum ether and is 
insoluble in water. 
Specific gravity: The specific gravity of the oleoresin is 
fairly constant, only, when similar conditions with respect to 
83 Heish reports the ash content of 8 samples of black pepper to be from 
4.35 to 8.99 per cent. Analyst (1886), 11, p. 186. Others who have reported 
on the ash content of pepper are Bergman, Zeitschr. f. Analyt. Chem. (1882), 
21, p. 535, and von Raumer, Zeitschr. angew. Chem. (1893), p. 453. 
1 Wood, Therapeutics, Principles and Practice, (1908), p. 482. 
2 Tunnicliffe and Rosenheim, Centralbl. f. Physiol. (1902), 16, p. 93. 
