568 
Root  of  Phytolacca  Decandra. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1884. 
to  10  feet,  from  the  main  root,  and  gradually  taper  in  size.  These 
main  branches  seldom  divide  again,  but  irregularly  send  off  smaller 
ones. 
Estimation  of  Moisture. — 100  gm.  of  the  fresh  root,  sliced  in  thin 
pieces,  was  allowed  to  dry  in  the  air  to  the  condition  as  it  is  found  in 
commerce,  losing  thereby  72*84  gm.  On  continued  exposure  in  a 
drying  chamber  until  it  ceased  to  lose  weight  a  loss  of  7*889  gm.  was 
noted,  showing  a  total  of  80*729  per  cent,  of  moisture  and  29*046  per 
cent,  in  the  air-dried  or  commercial  root. 
Ash. — 10  gm.  of  the  powdered  (air-dry  ?)  root  yielded  an  ash  weigh- 
ing *84  gm.,  equal  to  8*4  per  cent.  Of  this  ash  *68  gm.  was  soluble 
in  water,  *16  gm.  insoluble.  Potassium  was  found  to  be  the  principal 
base  in  the  soluble  portion,  by  precipitating  it  with  saturated  solution 
of  bitartarate  of  sodium  ;  it  equals  nearly  5*5  per  cent.  KOH  of  the 
powdered  root.  The  large  amount  of  potassium  salts  found  in  this 
drug  is  noticeable.  A  little  sulphuric  and  hydrochloric  acid,  besides 
carbonate,  was  found  in  this  portion.  The  ash  insoluble  in  water 
yielded  to  hydrochloric  acid  a  little  calcium  and  iron,  and  left  silica 
behind. 
In  the  following  experiments  the  fresh  root  was  used.  The  experi- 
ments of  Donnelly  ("Am.  Jour.  Phar.,"  Oct.,  1843,  p.  165)  and  W.  F. 
Pape  (Ibid.,  Dec,  1881,  p.  597)  were  verified  in  so  far  as  to  the  find- 
ing of  starch,  tannin,  gum,  sugar,  resin,  fixed  oil  and  lignin.  In  view 
of  the  rapid  deterioration  of  Phytolacca  root  on  keeping,  and  the  pro- 
bability of  its  containing  an  alkaloid,  as  pointed  out  by  W.  F.  Pape, 
the  first  experiments  made  were  in  search  of  a  volatile  alkaloid. 
A  strong  tincture  of  the  root,  prepared  with  diluted  alcohol,  and 
made  alkaline  with  solution  of  potassa,  was  distilled  in  a  glass  retort, 
and  the  distillate,  having  a  strong,  disagreeable  odor  of  the  root,  was 
caught  in  distilled  water  slightly  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid.  After 
concentration,  the  tests  for  alkaloids  were  applied,  with  negative 
results. 
A  portion  of  the  root  was  finely  broken  up  and  macerated  in  cold 
water  for  24  hours,  then  the  whole  introduced  into  a  retort  and  dis- 
tilled in  a  salt  water  bath.  The  distillate  had  the  characteristic  odor 
and  acrid  taste  of  the  root,  and  a  strong  acid  reaction.  The  acid  dis- 
tillate was  set  aside  and  the  contents  of  the  retort  divided  into  three 
portions.  With  the  first  distillation  was  continued  as  before,  but  no 
change  took  place  in  the  distillate.    The  second  and  third  portions 
