The constituents of the fruit of Ecballium elaterium / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore.

  • Frederick Belding Power
Date:
[1909]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: The constituents of the fruit of Ecballium elaterium / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    7/12 (page 1989)
    The Solid Acids.—These acids were crystallised from glacial acetic acid, but no pui’e substance could be isolated by this means, the product melting indefinitely between 54° and 58°. An analysis ud a determination of the neutralisation value gave the following rfev.alts : 01432 gave 0-3940 COg and 01631 HgO. C = 75-l ; H = 12-6. 0-7500 neutralised 0-1559 KOH. Neutralisation value = 207-9. Cj^HsgOa requires C = 75 0; H = 12-5 per cent. Neutralisation value = 219-1. CjgHggOg requires C = 76’l; H = 127 per cent. Neutralisation value = 197-7. The above results indicated that the solid acids consisted of a mixture of palmitic and stearic acids in about equal pi-oportions. Ethereal Extract of the Green Resin. Isolation of “ Ela/erin.” This extract amounted to about 6 grams. A portion of it (about 2 grams) was readily soluble in ether, and consisted .of a dark-coloured resin, whilst the remainder (4 grams) was a sparingly soluble, crystalline powder. From the resinous product nothing definite could be isolated, and as it yielded no sugar on boiling with a dilute solution of sulphuric acid in aqueous alcohol, it was not glucosidic. The above-mentioned, crystalline powder was collected on a filter, washed with ether, and recrystallised from a small volume of absolute alcohol, when it was obtained in small, colourless, hexagbnal prisms, melting and decomposing at 210—215°. On subjecting this product to fractional crystallisation from absolute alcohol, three principal fractions were obtained. Although a complete separation could not be effected by this means, owing to the limited quantity of material at disposal, the three fractions, nevertheless, exhibited very marked differences, as indicated especially by their solubilities, melting points, and optical rotatory power. Fraction I.—This fraction formed small, colourless, hexagonal prisms, melting and decomposing at 230°. It was very sparingly soluble in alcohol, and amounted to 0'7 gram: 0-2554, made up to 20 c.c. with chloroform, gave - 1°21' in a 2-dcm. tube, whence [a]o -52-4°. Fraction II.—This fraction closely resembled fraction I in appear- ance. It was, however, more soluble in alcohol, and melted, with decomposition, at about 210°. It amounted to 1‘5 grams. 0-2245, made up to 20 c.c. with chloroform, gave ajj — 0°48' in a 2-dcm. tube, whence [a]i> — 35-6°. Fraction III.—This fraction crystallised in small, colourless plates.