68 
Analysis  of  Trillium. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharuo . 
Feb..  1892. 
The  drug  was  first  examined  by  Professor  E.  S.  Wayne,  of  Cincinnati, 
in  the  year  1856,  who  noticed  its  peculiar  acrid  taste  which  somewhat 
resembled  that  of  senega.  Upon  analysis  the  acrid  principle  was  found 
not  to  be  precipitated  by  lead  acetates.  However,  a  white  amorphous 
powder  was  obtained  by  pouring  a  concentrated  tincture  into  water, 
filtering,  removing  pectinous  substances  and  setting  aside  24  hours 
when  it  gelatinized.  It  was  next  filtered  and  dried.  This  principle 
resembled  saponin  ;  had  the  property  of  frothing  when  a  small  quan- 
tity was  shaken  with  water,  and  was  called  trillin.  The  result  of 
this  analysis  was  published  in  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy, 
volume  xxviii,  page  512. 
In  my  investigation,  a  quantity  of  the  drug  was  obtained  from  a 
reliable  source  and  percolated  with  95  per  cent,  alcohol  until 
exhausted.  The  alcohol  was  removed  by  distillation  and  the  con- 
centrated tincture  poured  into  acidulated  water  containing  y2  per 
cent,  of  hydrochloric  acid.  After  standing,  it  was  filtered  to  remove 
the  fat  and  oily  resinous  matter  which  had  been  precipitated.  The 
filtrate  was  tested  for  tannic  acid  by  use  of  ferric  chloride,  and  the 
decoction  for  starch  by  use  of  iodine,  their  presence  being  deter- 
mined. The  remaining  filtrate  was  shaken  successively  with  petro- 
leum ether,  ether  and  chloroform.  The  petroleum  ether  extract 
consisted  of  resin  which  had  not  been  precipitated  by  water. 
The  ether  extract  was  dissolved  in  water  ;  this  solution  shaken 
with  ether,  the  ether  decanted  and  allowed  to  evaporate.  It  was 
again  dissolved  in  ether,  and  on  evaporation  left  a  crystalline 
residue,  which  was  acid  to  litmus  paper  and  gave  no  reaction  with 
ferric  chloride.  A  portion  of  this  crystalline  principle  was  dissolved 
in  water,  saturated  with  barium  carbonate,  filtered  and  set  aside  to 
evaporate.  As  a  result,  a  crystalline  residue  was  obtained  which, 
upon  being  dissolved  in  water,  gave  tests  for  barium.  It  was  also 
tested  and  found  not  to  consist  of  a  chloride.  A  second  portion 
was  treated  with  a  drop  of  strong  sulphuric  acid,  and  gave  a  pur- 
plish-brown color  which,  on  the  addition  of  a  crystal  of  potassium 
bichromate,  turned  to  a  light  green  color.  A  third  portion  was 
treated  with  strong  nitric  acid  and  dissolved,  but  gave  no  color. 
Owing  to  the  presence  of  a  substance  which  tended  to  emulsify 
with  the  solvents,  only  a  small  quantity  of  the  chloroform  extract 
was  obtained,  and  consisted  of  gummy  principles.  The  solution 
was  again  shaken  with  petroleum  ether  to  remove  the  remaining 
