The constituents of bryony root / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore.

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

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The constituents of bryony root / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Separation of an Enzyme. With consideration of the previously recorded statements (loc. cit.) that bryony root contains a glucoside, it was thought desirable to examine it for the presence of an enzyme. For this purpose one kilogram of the finely ground material was mixed with sufficient water to cover it, and the mixture kept for several hours, after which the aqueous liquid was expressed and filtered. To this liquid, in which the presence of starch was indicated, about twice its volume of alcohol was added, when a voluminous, light brown precipitate was produced. This was collected, washed with a little alcohol, and dried in a vacuum over sulphuric acid. It then amounted to 35 grams, or 3'5 per cent, of the weight of dried root employed. This product yielded the biuret reaction, and slowly hydrolysed both amygdalin and salicin, as also the glucosidic constituent of bryony root, which wall subsequently be described. Test for an Alkaloid.—Ten grams of the finely ground root were digested with Prollius’ fluid, and the resulting liquid subjected to the usual tests for an alkaloid. The reactions thus obtained indicated the presence of a relatively small amount of such a substance. Preliminary Extraction of the Root.—Twenty-five grams of the ground material were extracted successively in a Soxhlet apparatus with various solvents, when the following amounts of extract, dried at 100°, were obtained: Petroleum (b. p. 35—5(T) extracted 0T9 gram = 0 76 per cent. Ether ,, 0-22 > * = 0-88 „ ,, Chloroform ,, 0-52 y y = 2-08 ,, ,, Ethyl acetate ,, 0-80 yy = 3 20 „ „ Alcohol ,, 2-70 y y = 10-80 ,, „ Total 4-43 grams =17'72 per cent. For the purpose of a complete examination, 23'9 kilograms of the ground bryony root wrere completely extracted with hot alcohol. After the removal of the greater portion of the alcohol, a viscid, dark-coloured extract w7as obtained, amounting to 6'3 kilograms. Distillation of the Extract with Steam. Separation of an Essential Oil. A quantity (2 kilograms) of the above-mentioned extract, repre¬ senting 7-6 kilograms of the ground root, was mixed with water, and steam passed through the mixture for some hours. The distil¬ late, which amounted to 2'5 litres, contained some drops of oil floating on the surface. It wras extracted with ether, the ethereal liquid being washed, dried, and the solvent removed, when a small