Kola  and  Kolanin. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I    February,  1886. 
From  the  processes  outlined  by  both  Heckel  and  Knebel,  we  can 
readily  see  that  several  methods  of  operation  will  give  the  body 
termed  kolanin.  For  instance,  if  a  solid  extract  (or  an  evaporated 
fluid)  be  exhausted  of  caffeine  by  the  aid  of  chloroform,  then  washed 
with  cold  water  to  remove  such  extractive  matters  as  may  be  sol- 
uble, there  will  remain  the  kolanin  in  an  impure  state.  If,  in  his 
process,  after  the  exhaustion  of  the  extract  with  chloroform,  the 
residue  is  extracted  with  ether,  the  kolanin,  in  a  somewhat  pure 
state,  will  be  taken  up  in  the  ether,  and  may  be  separated  by  evapo- 
ration. After  the  chloroform  is  exhausted,  I  have  found  it  good 
practice  to  wash  first  with  petroleum  ether  to  remove  some  fatty 
bodies  not  removed  by  chloroform,  then  to  follow  with  the  ether 
extraction.  If,  in  all  these  operations  the  solvents  and  washing 
liquids  are  kept  faintly  acid,  there  is,  seemingly,  less  decomposition 
of  the  glucoside  and  formation  of  the  tannic-like  matters. 
FERMENTS. 
It  has  been  proven  that  there  is  present  in  this  nut  an  unorgan- 
ized ferment,  to  which  the  name  kolazym  has  been  applied.  This 
body  appears  to  possess  manifold  powers  (possibly  there  is  more 
than  one  ferment  present).  Kolazym  is  a  glucosidal  enzyme,  having 
the  power  to  split  up  the  glucoside  kolanin  into  glucose,  caffeine, 
and  a  tannin-like  body.  It  is  also  a  carbohydrate  enzyme,  giving 
quite  active  aiastasic  action  upon  starch.  It  seems  to  be  active  in 
faintly  acid  solutions,  but  will  act  in  neutral  and  feebly  alkaline 
media,  acting  best  at  a  temperature  of  about  540  to  65  0  C.  Extreme 
cold,  as  well  as  boiling,  seems  to  destroy  its  powers.  It  may  be 
quite  readily  separated  from  the  undried  nuts  by  macerating  the 
chopped  tissue  in  glycerin  and  water,  made  faintly  acid,  then  pour- 
ing the  glycerin  extraction  upon  dilute  alcohol.  A  fine,  cloudy  pre- 
cipitate of  proteid  matter  will  be  thrown  out  of  the  solution,  carry- 
ing with  it  the  ferment.  The  precipitate  may  be  further  purified  by 
redissolving  in  water  and  glycerin,  and  reprecipitation  as  before,  with 
final  washing  in  absolute  alcohol.  Its  most  active  state  seems  to  be 
in  this  freshly  precipitated  and  moist  condition.  Drying  over  cal- 
cium chloride  or  sulphuric  acid  seems  to  inhibit  it.  Drying  by  heat 
almost  wholly  destroys  its  power.  The  separated  ferment  will  con- 
vert soluble  starch  into  dextrine  bodies  and  sugar.  It  will  decom- 
pose kolanin  into  its  constituents,  glucose,  caffeine  and  kola  red. 
