Chemical examination of cotton-root bark / by Frederick B. power and Henry Browning, Jun.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927
Date:
1914.]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemical examination of cotton-root bark / by Frederick B. power and Henry Browning, Jun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/12
    CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF COTTON-ROOT BARK.* BY FREDERICK B. POWER & HENRY BROWNING, Jun- Cotton-root bark appears to have been officially recognised only by the United States Pharmacopoeia, which describes it as “ the dried bark of the root of Gossypium herbaceum, Linne, or of other cultivated species of Gossypiuvx. A decoction and a liquid extract of the hark are, however, included in the Indian and Colonial Addendum to the British Pharmacopoeia, the use of these preparations being based upon the reputed value of the bark as an emmenagogue and for arresting haemorrhage. The first chemical examination of cotton-root bark was made by E. S. Wayne (Arner. J. Pharm., 1872, 44, 289), who noted the presence of sugar and 3 per cent, of a red, acidic resin, but no definite substance was isolated. Subsequent examinations by Staehle (ibid., 1875, 47, 457) and hy Drueding (ibid., 1877. 49, 386) have contributed hut little further information respecting its constituents. On account of this deficiency of knowledge, it was deemed desirable to subject the hark to a more complete chemical study. Experimental. The material employed for the principal part of this investi¬ gation was kindly supplied by Professor J. U. Lloyd, of Cincinnati, Ohio, to whom our best thanks may here be expressed. A portion (10 Gms.) of the ground material was subjected to a preliminary test for alkaloid by extraction with Prollius’ fluid, but with a negative result. * Communication from the Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories, London, E.C., and reprinted from The Pharmaceutical Journal and Pharmacist, September 26, 1914.