234 
Cassia  Marilandica. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
May.  1888. 
Lignin   
Hydrocelluloses,  etc 
Cellulose  
Moisture  
Ash  
Loss  
1.820 
2.760 
23.270 
8.900 
6.800 
5.200 
1.820 
2.760 
23.270 
8.900 
6.800 
5.200' 
100.000 
100.000 
Other  experiments. — 50  grams  of  the  powdered  drug  were  distilled 
with  milk  of  lime,  the  distillate  tested  for  volatile  alkaloids,  but  with 
negative  results.  Similarly  another  50  grams  were  distilled  with  a 
1  per  cent,  solution  of  sulphuric  acid,  but  no  results  were  obtained. 
Yellow  coloring  matter. — A  yellow  coloring  matter,  obtained  in  an 
orange-yellow  mass,  was  found  to  be  present  in  the  drug,  soluble  in 
ether  and  chloroform,  but  sparingly  soluble  in  alcohol.  It  was  ob- 
tained by  concentrating  a  decoction  from  the  powdered  drug,  precipitat- 
ing the  mucilage,  etc.,  by  alcohol,  and  further  concentrating  to  a  syrupy 
liquid,  which  was  then  agitated  with  several  portions  of  ether.  The 
ether  extractions,  upon  evaporation,  left  a  yellow  oil,  which,  by  treat- 
ment with  cold  alcohol,  yielded  an  orange-yellow  mass.  In  Alexan- 
dria senna,  this  yellow  coloring  matter  is  supposed  to  be  chrysophanic 
acid ;  so  probably  in  American  senna,  it  is  identical  with  same,  or 
some  similar  body. 
Active  "principle. — A  complex  body  was  found  to  be  present  in  this 
drug,  responding  to  cathartic  acid,  both  in  properties  and  its  action.  It 
was  obtained  by  the  following  process :  250  grams  of  the  powdered 
drug  were  digested  with  water  at  a  moderate  temperature,  the  decoc- 
tion obtained  concentrated,  to  a  syrup,  and  the  mucilage,  etc.,  precipi- 
tated with  alcohol.  The  solution  being  again  concentrated,  and  several 
volumes  of  absolute  alcohol  added,  the  crude  cathartates  were  obtained. 
The  albumen  was  precipitated  from  this  by  dissolving  in  water  and 
adding  a  few  drops  of  HCl.  The  precipitate  obtained,  on  addition  of 
more  HCl,  was  treated  with  hot  60  per  cent,  alcohol.  From  this  solu- 
tion the  purified  cathartic  acid  was  obtained  by  precipitation  with  ether. 
The  active  principle  so  obtained  is  insoluble  in  water,  absolute  alco- 
hol, chloroform,  and  ether,  soluble  in  warm  diluted  alcohol,  is  of  a 
brownish-black  color,  amorphous,  soluble  in  alkalies  with  dark- 
brown  color,  and  reprecipitated  by  acids.  Tannin,  antimonial  salts,  yel- 
low and  red  prussiates,  have  no  effect  upon  it.  Color  tests,  with  strong 
acids,  were  following :  With  H2SO4,  green  brown  :  HgSO^  and 
KaCrgOy,  greenish  black;  with  IINO3        HCl,  no  change. 
