Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1888. 
Cassia  Marilandica. 
231 
CASSIA  MARILANDICA,  LINNE. 
By  Hermann  J.  M.  Scheoetee,  Ph.G. 
Abstract  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
General  ohamoters. — American  senna,  as  seen  in  commerce,  con- 
sists of  leaflets  varying  in  length  from  one  to  two  inches,  and  in 
breadth  from  one-quarter  to  one-half  inch.  In  shape  they  are  oval- 
oblong  or  oblong-lanceolate,  entire  or  broken ;  of  a  pale  green  color^ 
a  feeble  odor,  and  a  bitterish  sweet,  nauseous  taste,  resembling  that 
of  Alexandria  or  East  India  senna  somewhat.  It  is  commonly  found 
in  the  shops  in  the  form  of  oblong  or  square  cakes,  which  usually  con- 
sist of  leaflets,  petioles  and  flow  ers  compressed  together  in  a  compact  form . 
The  investigation  of  this  drug  was  conducted  in  the  chemical  lab- 
oratory of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  for  the  purpose  of 
comparing  its  composition  with  that  of  Cassia  nictitans,  similarly  ex- 
amined by  Mr.  C.  S.  Gallaher.  The  leaves  investigated  were  col- 
lected in  this  vicinity  during  the  past  month  of  August,  and  upon  be- 
ing air-dried,  were  subjected  to  the  following  analysis  : 
Proximate  chemical  analysis. — The  scheme  recommended  by  Drag- 
endorff  was  used  as  a  basis  for  the  analysis  of  the  drug.  The  drug 
was  reduced  to  a  number  eighty  powder.  The  moisture  present  was 
determined  to  be  8*90  per  cent.,  and  the  inorganic  constituents  6*80 
per  cent.  The  ash  contained  carbonic,  phosphoric,  livdrochloric  and 
sulphuric  acids.  It  yielded  to  w^ater  1.4  potassium  and  sodium  salts^^ 
and  to  hydrochloric  acid  4.8  salts  of  calcium,  magnesium  and  iron, 
the  undissolved,  0"6,  being  silica. 
The  extract  obtained  with  petroleum  spirit  (boiling  point  45°  C.) 
lost  on  heating  to  110°  C,  0'04  per  cent,  of  volatile  oil;  the  residue 
left,  3*60  per  cent.,  was  soft,  fatty,  dark-green  in  color,  due  to  traces 
of  chlorophyll,  and  fused  at  59°  C.  Boiling  absolute  alcohol  dis- 
solved all  but  0*1  per  cent.,  which  was  regarded  as  caoutchouc.  On 
cooling  this  solution  separated  out  0*30  per  cent,  of  wax,  which  was 
white  and  soluble  in  chloroform.  The  fixed  oil  was  also  soluble  in 
stronger  ether  and  chloroform.  On  treatment  with  concentrated  po- 
tash and  soda  solutions  and  heating,  it  would  not  saponify,  but  on  dilu- 
tion with  water,  it  rapidly  mixed  with  same.  The  soap  obtained  on  the 
addition  of  sodium  chloride  to  this  mixture,  was  of  a  greenish-brown 
color  ;  the  mother-liquor  having  a  reddish  color. 
The  ether  extract  of  2*87  per  cent,  was  less  soft  than  that  obtained 
