i8o 
Analysis  of  Poly  gala  Senega. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1896. 
became  clear,  but,  on  cooling,  it  again  became  cloudy  and  frothy,  and 
presented  the  appearance  of  a  supersaturated  solution  of  some  sapo- 
noid  principle.  Upon  recovering  this  chloroform  by  distillation  on 
a  water  bath,  there  remained  as  residue  a  small  amount  of  a  yel- 
lowish, transparent  substance,  which  did  not  froth  with  water,  and 
was  not  affected  by  a  drop  of  concentrated  sulphuric  acid. 
Another  portion  of  the  aqueous  extract  was  evaporated  to  a 
syrupy  consistency  on  a  water  bath,  this  residue  digested  during 
about  five  minutes  with  boiling  95  per  cent,  alcohol,  in  several  por- 
tions, until  the  washings  remained  colorless.  On  cooling,  the 
mixed  washings  became  opaque  and  deposited  a  sediment.  The 
latter  was  treated  with  several  portions  of  warm  95  per  cent,  alcohol, 
filtered,  evaporated  to  small  volume,  and  allowed  to  crystallize. 
The  residue  consisted  of  microscopic  crystals,  of  a  yellowish  tinge, 
a  peculiar  odor  and  a  very  acrid  taste.  A  very  small  quantity  pro- 
duced with  cold  water  a  decided  and  permanent  frothing.  With 
sulphuric  acid  it  produced  a  red  color,  gradually  changing  to  a 
beautiful  violet  color.  The  amount  was  too  small  to  permit  of  fur- 
ther purification. 
Pectin  and  albuminoids,  separated  from  the  drug  by  dilute  alkali, 
amounted  to  18-40  per  cent.  This  was  found  to  consist  almost 
entirely  of  albuminoids,  and,  as  it  is  rather  an  unusually  large  per- 
centage, it  will  be  especially  mentioned  later  in  this  paper. 
The  ash  of  the  drug  amounted,  on  an  average  of  two  estimations, 
to  6  65  per  cent.  It  consisted  of  calcium,  traces  of  potassium,  with 
carbonic,  phosphoric  and  sulphuric  acids,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
silica. 
TABULATED  RESULT  OF    PROXIMATE  ANALYSIS  OF   SENEGA  ROOT. 
Per  Cent. 
Per  Cent. 
Soluble  in  petroleum  ether  : 
Volatile  oil  
Fixed  oil  
Soluble  in  concentrated  ether  : 
Resin  
Soluble  in  water 
Soluble  in  absolute  alcohol  : 
Glucose   
Saccharose   .  .  . 
Impure  polygalic  acid  and  resin 
