142 
Quillajic  Acid. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      March,  1889. 
QUILLAJIC  ACID.1 
By  R.  Robert. 
The  saponin  of  commerce,  as  all  other  specimens  of  saponin,  is  an 
almost  inactive,  non-poisonous  modification  of  quillajic  acid.  The 
author  precipitated  the  acid  from  the  aqueous  extract  of  the  bark  of 
Quittaja  Saponaria  with  neutral  lead  acetate  ;  the  precipitate  was 
freed  from  lead,  the  solution  of  the  acid  evaporated  almost  to  dryness, 
and  then  taken  up  with  hot  absolute  alcohol.  The  coloring  matter 
was  precipitated  with  chloroform ;  the  quillajic  acid  eventually  crys- 
tallized out  in  pure  white  flakes.  It  is  insoluble  in  ether,  soluble  in 
water  and  alcohol.  On  treatment  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  it 
becomes  dark  red.  By  boiling  with  dilute  mineral  acids,  it  is  split 
up  into  an  unfermentable  glucose  and  sapogenin ;  this  solution  reduces 
Fehling's  solution.  Quillajic  acid  has  the  formula  C19H30O10.  The 
sodium  salt  acts  as  a  very  severe  caustic  on  the  tongue  and  throat,  and 
the  smallest  particles  coming  in  contact  with  the  nose  or  throat  cause 
violent  sneezing  and  coughing.  Brought  on  to  the  eye,  it  causes  se- 
vere pain,  flow  of  tears,  and  swelling  of  the  lids.  Injected  into  the 
blood,  sodium  salt  proves  fatal,  causing  cramp  and  paralysis  of  the 
respiratory  organs  and  brain.  On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  im- 
bibed into  the  stomach  without  injury  to  the  extent  of  500  times  the 
quantity  which  proves  fatal  when  injected  into  the  blood. 
Sick  Headache  Powder. — A  preparation  is  offered  under  this  name 
and  recommended  for  sick  headache.  Its  apparent  efficiency  suggested 
an  investigation  into  its  proximate  composition.  A  few  qualitative 
experiments  resulted  in  reactions  showing  the  presence  of  milk  sugar 
and  sodium  salicylate.  The  moisture  amounted  to  1  per  cent.,  the  ash 
consisting  of  Na2C03  weighed  1J  per  cent.  Each  powder  is  put  up  in 
waxed  paper  containing  30  grains  of  the  cream  colored  or  white 
powder,  which  consists  of  equal  parts  of  milk  sugar  and  sodium 
salicylate. 
A  powder  similar* in  appearance  was  prepared  in  accordance  with 
these  results,  and  was  found  to  produce  the  same  effect. 
Robert  Glenk. 
1  From  Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  1889,  p.  55;  Arch.  exp.  Path.  Phar.,  xxiii.  233. 
