The constituents of taraxacum root / by Frederick B. Power and Henry Browning, jun.

  • Frederick Belding Power
Date:
[1912?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The constituents of taraxacum root / by Frederick B. Power and Henry Browning, jun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Petroleum (b. p. 35—60°) extracted >0-28 gram = 1*40 per cent. Ether ,, 0-06 „ = 0*30 > > Chloroform ,, 0-05 ,, = 0-25 >> Ethyl acetate ,, 0-34 „ = ITO Alcohol ., 2-33 „ =11*65 y y Water ,, 10*20 „ i51*00 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 browm powder. This product, w^hich amounted to O'85 gram, very slowdy 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 ■extracted by continuous percolation with hot alcohol. After the removal of the greater portion of the alcohol, 7’3 kilograms of a viscid, dark-coloured 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. Dhfillation of the Extract with Steam. Se/paration of an Essential Oil. 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 ether, the ethereal liquid dried, and the solvent removed, when a small amount of a dark yellow essential oil was obtained. This oil had a strong, persistent odour, and gave the colour reaction for furfuraldehyde.
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