230 
Aspidium  Marginale, 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
May,  1888. 
three  volumes  of  wood  alcohol,  0*24  per  cent,  mucilage  was  precipi- 
tated. The  filtrate  contained  2-40  dextrin,  glucose  and  other  carbo- 
hydrates. 
The  liquid  obtained  from  the  partly  exhausted  drug  by  treatment 
with  0"20  per  cent,  solution  of  caustic  soda,  yielded  with  acetic  acid 
and  wood  alcohol  a  precipitate  of  7*50  percent,  of  j^ectin  and  albumin- 
oids (ash  deducted),  while  the  filtrate  still  retained  6*82  per  cent,  or- 
ganic substances  dissolved  from  the  drug. 
Diluted  hydrochloric  acid  now  dissolved  from  the  drug  0*84  per 
cent,  calcium  oxalate,  0'71  parabin  and  0*80  albuminoids  ;  and  by 
further  treatment  with  chlorine  water,  and  with  nitric  acid  with  the 
addition  of  potassium  chlorate,  the  lignin  and  hydrocellulose  were 
separated,  leaving  50  pf  r  cent,  of  the  original  weight  of  the  drug,  rep- 
resenting resistent  carbohydrates  including  cellulose.  The  starch, 
7*186  per  cent.,  was  determined  separately  from  a  fresh  portion  of  the 
powder. 
Not  having  separated  any  filicic  acid  in  the  foregoing  experiments, 
one  pound  of  the  powdered  drug  was  exhausted  Avith  ether,  and  the 
resulting  oleoresin  was  exposed  to  cold,  but  the  acid  did  not  crystal- 
lize out.^  On  treating  a  portion  of  the  oleoresin  repeatedly  with  warm 
alcohol,  a  few  yellowish  crystals  formed  which,  however,  appeared  to 
be  prone  to  oxidation,  and  could  not  be  retained.  Attempts  to  sepa- 
rate the  acid  with  lead  acetate,  ammonia,  fixed  alkalies  or  lime  water, 
were  unsuccessful.  With  the  last  named  agent  a  filtrate  was  obtained 
which  with  very  dilute  sulphuric  acid  produced  a  pinkish  precipitate, 
insoluble  in  petroleum  spirit,  but  dissolving  in  ether.  This  solution 
had  an  acid  reaction,  and  on  evaporation  left  an  amorphous  residue, 
giving  no  reaction  with  ferric  chloride ;  its  solution  in  alcohol,  on  be- 
ing allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously,  developed  an  ethereal  odor. 
Oleoresin  of  aspidium. — Two  commercial  samples  were  obtained, 
one  of  which  had  an  odor  of  acetic  ether,  was  of  a  dark  color  and  of  a 
pilular  consistency,  and  was  found  to  be  soluble  in  that  menstruum, 
and  only  partly  soluble  in  ether,  petroleum  spirit,  alcohol  and  absolute 
alcohol.  The  other  sample  was  liquid,  of  a  greenish  color,  had  the 
odor  of  ether,  and  was  more  freely  soluble  in  the  liquids  named  above. 
^Crystals  having  the  behavior  of  Luck's  filicic  acid  were  obtained  by  Mr, 
Jas.  L.  Patterson  (See  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1875,  p.  293)  from 
the  oleoresin  of  Aspidium  marginale  by  setting  it  aside  for  several  weeks. — 
Editoe. 
