i68 
Constituents  of  Taraxacum  Root. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  L913. 
Petroleum  (b.  p.  35 — 6o°)  extracted  0.28  gram  =  1.40  per  cent. 
Ether                                 extracted  0.06  gram  =  0.30  per  cent. 
Chloroform                         extracted  0.05  gram  =  0.25  per  cent. 
Ethyl  acetate                       extracted  0.34  gram  =  1.70  per  cent. 
Alcohol                               extracted  2.33  gram  =11.65  per  cent. 
Water                                 extracted  10.20  gram  =  51.00  per  cent. 
Total 
13.26  grams=66.3    per  cent. 
In  order  to  ascertain  whether  an  enzyme  were  present,  200  grams 
of  the  air-dried  root  were  extracted  with  cold  water,  and  to  the 
clear,  filtered  liquid  about  twice  its  volume  of  alcohol  was  added. 
A  slight  precipitate  was  thus  produced,  which,  when  collected  and 
dried  in  a  vacuum  over  sulphuric  acid,  could  be  reduced  to  a 
brown  powder.  This  product,  which  amounted  to  0.85  gram,  very 
slowly  hydrolysed  amygdalin,  and  thus  possessed  some  enzymic 
activity. 
For  the  purpose -of  a  complete  examination  of  the  constituents  of 
the  root,  22.9  kilograms  of  the  dried,  ground  material  were  ex- 
tracted by  continuous  percolation  with  hot  alcohol.  After  the 
removal  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  alcohol,  7.3  kilograms  of  a 
viscid,  dark-colored  extract  were  obtained. 
One  kilogram  of  the  alcoholic  extract,  representing  about 
3.14  kilograms  of  the  root,  was  examined  for  sucrose  by  the  follow- 
ing method :  The  extract  was  first  mixed  with  water  to  separate 
the  resin,  which  was  incorporated  with  the  larger  portion  subse- 
quently obtained,  and  designated  as  (B).  The  filtered,  aqueous 
liquid  was  then  treated  with  an  excess  of  milk  of  lime,  again 
filtered,  and  the  alkaline  filtrate  saturated  with  carbon  dioxide. 
This  liquid,  after  filtration,  was  evaporated  under  diminished 
pressure  to  the  consistency  of  a  syrup,  and  the  latter  treated  with 
successive  portions  of  alcohol  until  a  product  was  finally  obtained, 
which  dissolved  completely  in  alcohol  of  about  85  per  cent,  strength. 
The  solution  of  this  product,  when  decolorised  with  a  little  animal 
charcoal  and  kept  for  several  months,  deposited  no  crystalline 
substance,  and  there  was  therefore  no  indication  of  the  presence  of 
sucrose. 
Distillation  of  the  Extract  with  Steam.  Separation  of  an 
The  entire  remaining  portion  (6.3  kilograms)  of  the  above- 
mentioned  alcoholic  extract  of  the  root  was  mixed  with  water,  and 
distilled  in  a  current  of  steam.  The  distillate  was  extracted  with 
Essential  Oil. 
