442 
Rumex  Nepalensis. 
(  A.m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1      August,  1896. 
for  this  purpose  a  quantity  of  the  root.  The  results  of  this  investi- 
gation were  to  the  effect  that  this  root  contained  no  chrysophanic 
acid,  but  a  substance  similar  to  it,  for  which  Hesse  proposed  the 
name  rumicin,  with  reference  to  its  origin,  and  the  names  nepalin 
and  nepodin  for  two  other  bodies  which  accompanied  it.  Of  these 
bodies,  nepalin  was  found  to  be  the  principal  constituent  of  the  root 
in  question,  the  others  occurring  only  in  small  quantities. 
For  the  isolation  of  these  principles  the  powdered  root  was 
extracted  with  ether  by  means  of  a  reflux  condenser.  From  the 
resulting  solution  separated  yellow-brown  crummy  crystalline  masses. 
These  were  collected  and  the  filtrate  reduced  to  about  half  its 
original  volume  by  distillation,  whereupon  more  crystalline  masses 
were  deposited,  and  were  added  to  those  first  obtained. 
The  remaining  solution,  on  slowly  evaporating,  yielded  another 
crystallization,  which,  after  washing  with  a  little  alcohol,  was  united 
with  the  other  crystals.  These  were  then  treated  with  an  aqueous 
solution  of  potassium  carbonate,  the  solution  filtered  with  as  little 
access  of  air  as  possible  to  the  filtrate,  an  excess  of  hydrochloric 
acid  added,  and  subsequently  shaken  with  ether.  After  distillation 
of  the  ether  extract,  nepodin  remained  mixed  with  an  amorphous 
substance.  That  portion  undissolved  by  potassium  carbonate  was 
boiled  with  acetone,  which  treatment  dissolved  out  the  rumicin 
from  the  nepalin,  which  was  the  chief  constituent  of  the  remaining 
residue. 
Rumicin. — From  the  acetone  solution  there  separated,  on  cooling, 
greenish  brown  crystals/  These  were  separated  from  the  mother 
liquor,  washed  with  a  little  acetone,  and,  when  completely  dry,  dis- 
solved in  hot  benzene.  Three  or  four  times  its  volume  of  petroleum 
ether  was  added  to  this  solution,  the  mixture  boiled  a  short  time 
and  filtered,  whereby  a  brown,  flocculent  body  was  removed.  After 
cooling  the  filtrate  beautiful  crystals  separated,  which,  on  recrystalli- 
zation  from  benzene  and  petroleum  ether,  were  obtained  perfectly 
pure.  Rumicin  was  found  to  have  the  same  composition  as  chryso- 
phanic acid,  namely  the  formula  C15H10O4. 
Calculated. 
Found. 
Carbon  .  . 
Hydrogen 
yo-86 
3"94 
70-83 
4-06 
It  formed  laminar  crystals  of  a  metallic  lustre,  which  appeared 
not  quite  so  intense  a  golden-yellow  as  chrysophanic  acid,  and  dis- 
