Chemical examination of sarsparilla root / by Frederick Belding Power and Arthur Henry Salway.

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

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemical examination of sarsparilla root / by Frederick Belding Power and Arthur Henry Salway. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Monoacetylsarsasapogenin, C26H4103*C0*CH3.—This compound was prepared by heating sarsasapogenin for an hour with acetic anhydride, the solution being then concentrated to a small bulk, and a little alcohol subsequently added. After a short time an acetyl derivative separated, which, when collected and recrystallised from alcohol, was obtained in colourless needles, melting at 137°. It was analysed and its specific rotation determined, with the following results: 0-0968 gave 0-2684 C02 and 0*0872 H20. C = 75’6; H = 10‘0. C28H4404 requires C = 75‘7; H = 9'9 per cent. 0-1160, made up to 20 c.c. with chloroform, gave aD — 0°40/ in a 2-dcm. tube, whence [a]D —57*5°. The acid, aqueous liquid resulting from the hydrolysis of sarsa- saponin was treated with just sufficient barium hydroxide to pre¬ cipitate the sulphuric acid completely, and the mixture then filtered. The filtrate, on evaporation, yielded a syrup, from which ^-phenylglucosazone (m. p. 214°) was prepared, thus proving the presence of dextrose. No evidence could be obtained of the formation of any other sugar as a product of hydrolysis of the glucoside. The above results have shown that sarsasaponin is resolved on hydrolysis into sarsasapogenin, C26H4203, and dextrose. In order to ascertain the relative proportion of sarsasapogenin which is yielded by the glucoside, a definite quantity of the latter, dried at 120°, was hydrolysed, and the respective hydrolytic product collected, dried at 110°, and weighed. The amount of sarsa¬ sapogenin thus obtained was 38 per cent, of the weight of sarsa¬ saponin employed (C44TI76O20 requires C26H4203 = 43*5 per cent.). The hydrolysis of the glucoside may thus be represented by the following equation: ^44-^-76^20 + H20 = C2GH4203 + 3C6H120g. The assumption of v. Schulz (loc. cit.) that by the hydrolysis of sarsasaponin an acid or a mixture of acids is formed, together with the other products mentioned, cannot be confirmed, and is obviously incorrect. The acid observed by him was doubtless only such as is produced by the action of the hydrolysing agent on the sugar. Examination of “ Smilacin” (“ Smilasaponin” of v. Schulz). The substance described by v. Schulz (loc. cit.) as “ smilasaponin,” and recorded in the literature under that name or as “ smilacin,” was evidently regarded by him as a distinct glucoside of sarsaparilla root. Although an amorphous product, he assigned to it the