Chemical examination of the fruit of Brucea antidysenterica / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927.
Date:
[1907]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Chemical examination of the fruit of Brucea antidysenterica / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway. 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.

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    Althougli the above data indicated tliat the fractions boiling from 202 to 210° C./13 Mm. consisted cliiefly of metliyl oleate, it was deemed of interest to ascertain what amount of the methyl esters of saturated acids they contained. For this purpose a portion of the mixed fractions (202 to 210° C./13 Mm.) was hydrolyzed by alcoholic potash, the acids liberated and extracted and then converted into their lead salts by precipitation with lead acetate in alcoholic solution. The lead salts were collected on a filter, washed witli alcohol, and finally digested with ether. Prom the soluble portion, consisting of the salts of unsaturated acids, the acids were liberated, and their iodine value again determined by the Hiibl method. This was found to be 98 4, a figure which is only slightly liigher than that previously obtained. The evidence was thus afforded that the hquid acid contained in the fatty oil consisted chiefiy of oleic acid, together with a small amount of an acid having a liiglier degree of unsaturation, which is probably linolic acid. II.—Examination of the Alcoholic Extract. The alcoholic extract, which was a thick, very dark coloured product, was brought into a flask with water and distilled in steam. The distillate contained a small amount of acid, which, after conversion into a barium salt, was found to consist of a mixture of formic and butyric acids. After the steam distillation the contents of the distilling flask consisted of an aqueous liquid (a) containing a small amount of resinous substance (b) in sus2}ension. These were separated by filtration and subsequently examined. (A) T/ic ^Aqueous Liquid. The aqueous liquid was somewhat turbid, owing to the pre- sence of finely-divided particles of resinous substance which could not be removed by filtration. On shaking it, however, with a little ether the resin was removed, and this was added to the larger portion previously obtained. The aqueous liquid, which was now perfectly clear, liad a reddish-brown colour, a strongly acid reaction, and possessed an intensely bitter taste. With alkalies the liquid was rendered much deeper in colour,