490 
Studies  on  Licorice  Root. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(      July,  1921. 
absolute  alcohol,  was  dissolved  in  the  washing  of  the  precipitated 
glycyrrhizin  with  ice  cold  ether  water. 
The  idea  of  extracting  the  root  first  with  hot  absolute  alcohol 
was  therefore  abandoned,  partly  because  such  an  extraction  was  not 
at  all  sharp,  but  chiefly  because  it  left  the  glycyrrhizin  subsequently 
obtained,  in  such  a  condition  that  it  was  subject  to  serious  loss  in 
washing. 
Series  3. 
extraction  of  roots  with  ether. 
Ether  removes  the  resins  from  licorice  root,  but  not  the  bitter 
principles.  The  ether  extraction  may  be  carried  out  in  the  apparatus 
of  the  Joint  Rubber  Insulation  Committee.  It  may  also  be  done  by 
simply  stirring  up  the  powdered  root  (about  3  grams)  in  a  100  cc. 
centrifuge  tube  with  75  cc.  Ether  U.  S.  P.,  centrifuging  for  a  few 
minutes,  pouring  off,  and  giving  a  second  and  third  treatment  with 
ether.    The  resins  are  very  easily  dissolved  out  by  ether. 
Spanish.  Greek.  Russian.  Anatolian. 
Ether  Extract                                       2.5           1.3  4.2  2.3 
Glycyrrhizin  in  residual  root  (based 
on  original  root)                                 9.6  10. 1  12.3  14.0 
"Direct"   glycyrrhizin                            II. I  10.4  14. 1  14.7 
Note  may  here  be  made  of  a  difference  remarked  in  the  course 
of  the  two  sets  of  glycyrrhizin  determinations. 
My  method  calls  for  evaporation  of  the  75  per  cent,  alcoholic 
solutions  containing  the  glycyrrhizin,  just  to  dryness,  followed  by 
solution  in  10  cc.  hot  water.  In  the  series  in  which  the  root  had  been 
treated  with  ether  to  remove  resins,  complete  solution  of  the  residue 
from  75  per  cent,  alcohol,  was  obtained  when  10  cc.  of  water  was 
added.  When,  however,  the  original  root  is  not  treated  with  ether, 
complete  solution  is  not  obtained  in  10  cc.  water.  An  insoluble  res- 
idue remains  which  was  found  to  be  soluble  in  ether.  The  "direct" 
method  therefore  of  itself  eliminates  the  resins  to  some  extent,  inas- 
much as  it  leaves  at.  least  a  part  of  them  undissolved  in  water  after 
evaporation  of  the  solution  in  75  per  cent,  alcohol. 
Having  rejected  the  preliminary  extraction  of  the  root  with  hot 
absolute  alcohol,  I  have  now  to  choose  between  four  methods : 
1.  Direct  treatment  of  root  with  75  per  cent,  alcohol. 
2.  Treatment  with  ether,  followed  by  75  per  cent,  alcohol. 
