Am,  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
March,  1885.  J 
Substances  Contained  in  Saffron. 
129 
SUBSTANCES  CONTAINED  IN  SAFFRON. 
By  R.  Kayser.  • 
Bouillon,  V ogel,  Quadrat,  Rochleder  and  Mayer,  and  Weiss  have  at 
various  times  worked  at  this  subject,  but  the  information  at  present 
available  is  unsatisfactory.  The  author  has  therefore  carefully  investi- 
gated a  sample  of  saffron,  Crocus  electus  Gatinais. 
Essential  Oil  of  Saffron. — This  was  obtained  from  saifron  by  steam 
distillation  in  a  current  of  carbonic  anhydride.  It  is  an  almost  color- 
less mobile  liquid,  with  an  intense  odor  of  saffron.  When  exposed  to 
the  air,  it  becomes  oxidised  and  turns  brown  and  syrupy.  Analysis 
showed  its  composition  to  be  C^jHjg,  so  that  it  belongs  to  the  class  of 
terpenes. 
Crocin. — Saffron  w^as  first  freed  from  fatty  matters,  etc.,  by  ether 
and  then  extracted  with  water  at  the  ordinary  temperature.  The  aque- 
ous solution  was  shaken  up  with  bone-charcoal,  which  absorbed  nearly 
all  the  coloring  matter.  The  charcoal  was  filtered  off,  and  the  crocin 
extracted  from  it  by  washing  with  pure  water.  This  solution  was 
evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residue  treated  with  90  per  cent,  alcohol. 
On  evaporating  the  alcoholic  solution,  a  yellowish-brown  brittle  mass 
is  left,  which  yields  a  yellow  powder.  Crocin  is  easily  soluble  in 
water  and  dilute  alcohol,  less  so  in  absolute  alcohol,  and  almost  insolu- 
ble in  ether.  Strong  sulphuric  acid  dissolves  it  to  a  deep  blue  solution, 
which  turns  first  violet,  then  cherry-red,  and  lastly  brown.  Nitric 
acid  (sp.  gr.  1*4)  gives  a  similarly  colored  solution,  but  the  color  imme- 
diately changes  to  brown.  Hydrochloric  acid  yields  a  yellow  solution. 
Lead  acetate,  and  lime-  and  baryta-water  give  no  precipitate,  but,  on 
heating,  they  decompose  crocin  into  crocetin  and  a  sugar.  Alkalis 
cause  the  same  decomposition  in  the  cold.  Crocin  is  thus  a  glucoside, 
and  analysis  shows  its  composition  to  be  C^JI^qO^s- 
Crocetin  is  best  obtained  by  the  action  of  hydrochloric  acid  on 
crocin.  It  is  precipitated  in  the  form  of  yellow  flocks,  which  when 
dried  yield  a  red  powder.  It  is  almost  insoluble  in  pure  water,  but  is 
rendered  soluble  by  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  an  alkali. 
Acids  reprecipitate  it  from  such  solutions  in  orange  flocks.  It  is  easily 
soluble  in  alcohol.  An  alcoholic  solution  gives  bright  red  precipitates 
with  lead  acetate,  and  with  lime-  or  baryta- water ;  the  compounds  so 
formed,  however,  are  not  definite,  but  vary  in  composition.  Sulphuric 
and  hydrochloric  acids  behave  with  it  as  with  crocin.    Its  composition 
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