The constituents of the rhizome of Iris versicolor / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927
Date:
[1911?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The constituents of the rhizome of Iris versicolor / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/18
    THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE RHIZOME OF IRIS VERSICOLOR. By Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway. A Contribution from the Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories, London. The rhizome and roots of Iris versicolor, Linne (Nat. ord. Iri- dacece), commonly known as the “ Larger Blue Flag,” were recognized for several decades by the Pharmacopoeia of the United States (Re¬ visions of 1870, 1880 and 1890) under the official title of Iris, together with liquid and solid extracts prepared therefrom. In the eighth revision (1900), however, of the above-mentioned work the drug was deleted, probably on account of its limited use or the varia¬ bility and uncertainty of its action. Under the names of “ Irisin ” or “ Iridin ” preparations have been introduced, and are still some¬ what employed medicinally, which consist either of the resin or of an ethereal or alcoholic extract of the drug. Although in the literature 1 it has been recorded that the rhizome of Iris versicolor contains starch, gum, tannin, sugar, an acid resin, and fatty oil, together with some volatile matter and possibly an alkaloid, its constituents have never been thoroughly investigated. As the rhizome, at least in the fresh state, evidently possesses con¬ siderable potency, acting as a cathartic and emetic, although its medicinal activity is stated to become impaired by age, it was deemed desirable to subject it to a complete chemical examination. EXPERIMENTAL. The material employed for the present investigation consisted of commercial “ Blue Flag Root,” the identity of which was established, and it appeared to be of good quality. As a preliminary experiment, a small portion of the ground material was tested for the presence of an alkaloid, but with a nega¬ tive result. A further quantity (25 grammes) of the ground material was successively extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus with various solvents, when the following amounts of extract, dried at ioo°, were obtained: This lournal, 1876, 48, p. 406; 1881, 53, p. 601; 1884, 56, p. 616.