3o8 
Anatolian  Licorice  Root. 
Am.  .lour.  Pharm 
June,  1895. 
hol,  sp.  gr.,-820,  left  some  caoutchouc  undissolved.  The  clear,  hot 
alcoholic  solution,  filtered  from  the  above  insoluble  substance, 
became  opalescent  when  allowed  to  cool,  on  account  of  the  separa- 
tion of  wax.  When  it  had  become  thoroughly  cold,  this  opalescent 
mixture  was  filtered.  The  filtrate  was  evaporated  on  a  water-bath, 
a  residue  of  fat  and  wax  being  thereby  obtained.  In  this  residue 
there  was  noticed  a  crystalline  principle  which  will  be  treated  of 
more  fully  under  a  separate  heading. 
Ether  Extract. — This  represented  4  07  per  cent,  of  the  drug. 
About  one-tenth  of  the  extract  was  found  to  be  soluble  in  cold  water. 
Absolute  Alcohol  Extract. — The  amount  of  this  extract  equalled 
6  64  per  cent,  of  the  drug.  Cold  water  dissolved  about  one-half  of 
it.  The  resulting  solution  had  an  acid  reaction.  It  gave,  with  lead 
acetate,  a  considerable  yellowish  precipitate.  Glucose  was  present 
to  the  extent  of  1  04  per  cent.  The  amount  of  sucrose  found  was 
1  41  per  cent. 
A  portion  of  the  cold  water  solution  of  the  alcoholic  extract  when 
treated  with  test  solution  of  ferric  chloride,  yielded  a  dark,  brownish- 
red  precipitate  ;  the  liquid  at  the  same  time  acquired  a  very  dark  red 
color.  This  treatment  caused  the  development  of  a  very  strong, 
licorice-like  odor.  This  odor  was  as  decided  as  is  that  of  the  com- 
mercial extract  of  the  drug.  After  obtaining  this  result  other  por- 
tions of  the  aqueous  solution  were  tested  with  different  oxidizing 
agents,  that  their  effect  might  be  observed.  The  same  odor  was 
produced  by  the  addition  of  potassium  permanganate.  Mercuric 
chloride  caused  the  same  effect,  but  not  to  such  a  marked  degree. 
As  treatment  with  diluted  hydrochloric  acid  did  not  develop  the 
odor,  it  would  seemingly  not  be  due  to  the  decomposition  of  a  glu- 
coside  by  the  usual  action  of  acids. 
The  results  of  these  tests  suggest  the  inquiry  whether  or  not  the 
odor  and  possibly  the  sweet  taste  of  licorice,  ensue  from  a  process 
of  oxidation  that  takes  place  in  the  plant  during  life,  or  upon  drying. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  these  properties  are  restored  in  old 
licorice  root  by  exposing  it  to  an  ammoniacal  atmosphere ;  and,  in 
the  light  of  the  above  results,  there  arises  a  question  as  to  a  possi- 
ble oxidation  by  the  air  in  the  favorable  presence  of  the  alkali. 
That  part  of  the  absolute  alcohol  extract,  which  was  insoluble  in 
water,  was  almost  entirely  soluble  in  ammonium  hydrate,  only  a 
very  small  quantity  of  resinous  matter  having  failed  to  dissolve. 
