AmjSS"^frm*}  Active  Principle  of  Polygonum  Hydropiper.  279 
ON  THE  ACTIVE  PRINCIPLE  OF  POLYGONUM 
\  HYDROPIPER. 
By  C.  J.  Kademakek,  M.  D. 
In  the  January  number  of  the  American  Journal  of  Phar- 
macy, of  1885,  I  saw  an  account  of  the  analysis  made  by  Prof. 
Henry  Trimble  and  Herman  J.  Schuchard,  the  subject  being  Poly- 
gonum Hydropiper,  or  smart-weed.  There  is  nothing  original  about 
the  analysis,  for  it  is  merely  a  following  of  Dragendorff's  scheme  for 
proximate  analysis,  and  is  very  imperfectly  executed  by  them.  Accord- 
ing to  their  analysis,  smart-weed  contains  no  crystalline  substance, 
and,  according  to  their  statement,  if  it  does  contain  any,  it  is  decom- 
posed by  the  slightest  heating.  They  also  state  that  the  acid,  which 
I  called  polygonic  acid,  and  which  I  first  isolated  in  1871,  was  a  mix- 
ture of  impure  tannic  and  gallic  acids,  together  with  a  small  amount 
of  coloring  matter.  I  regret  exceedingly  that  necessity  compels  me 
to  differ  with  the  able  gentlemen  in  regard  to  the  active  principle  of 
this  drug.  Prof.  Trimble,  I  understand,  read  his  article  on  Poly- 
gonum Hydropiper  before  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  and 
said  learned  body  referred  it  for  publication.  It  is  impossible  for 
me  to  comprehend  why  said  body  referred  it  for  publication.1 
I  have  used  Polygonum  Hydropiper  as  an  infusion  and  as  a  fluid 
extract,  medicinally,  for  a  number  of  years,  with  such  very  satisfac- 
tory results  that  I  was  induced  to  isolate  the  active  principle.  That 
principle  is  polygonic  acid,  and  the  physiological  action  of  this  acid  I 
found  the  same  as  the  infusion  or  fluid  extract ;  from  which  I  con- 
cluded that  the  acid  was  the  active  medicinal  principle  of  smartweed. 
Preparation  of  Polygonic  Acid. — This  acid  may  be  prepared  by 
treating  smart-weed  with  water,  to  which  some  bicarbonate  of  sodium 
has  been  added,  and  allowing  to  macerate  for  twenty-four  hours.  Or, 
by  precipitating  a  fluid  extract  of  smart-weed  with  basic  acetate  of 
lead.  In  each  case  separate  the  base  by  means  of  sulphuric  acid,  and 
the  organic  acid  by  means  of  ether.  Allow  the  ethereal  solution  to 
evaporate  and  treat  the  residue  with  distilled  water,  and  filter ;  this 
separates  the  resin  (resinous  acid).    The  filtrate  is  then  filtered  through 
1  It  is  well  known  that  no  scientific  body  is  held  to  endorse  the  statements 
made  in  papers  read  before  such  body ;  and  that  no  scientific  journal  is  considered 
to  be  responsible  for  the  opinions  expressed,  or  the  conclusions  arrived  at,  by 
its  contributors —as  a  matter  of  course  personalities  always  excepted. — Editor 
Am.  Jour.  Phar. 
