Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/417

N. 0. EUPH0RBIACEÆ. 1167

base narrowed acute obtuse ; Basal nerves 3, midrib penninerved. Petiole l-3in. Flowers small, dioecious in terminal often panicled brown brick-red still spikes. Calyx 3-cleft. Petals distinct, and globose. Female flowers solitary. Ovary 3-celled. Cells 1-ovuled. Styles 3, papillose inside. Fruit 3-lobed, Capsules loculicidally 3-valved ⅓-½in. diam., densely covered with a bright red or crimson powder when ripe. " The bright red or crimson powder consists of resin mixed with stellate hairs." (Brandis). Seeds globose, smooth, black.

Uses: — The powder prepared from the tricoccous fruit is used as an anthelmintic, vermifuge and purgative medicine. It is also said to possess cathartic properties.

Rottlerin, C₁₁H₁₀O₃ , the principal constituent of Kamala, crystallises in thin, salmon-coloured plates melting at 191-191.5°. When heated with caustic potash at 150°, it yields benzoic acid, acetic acid, and an amorphous substance, and when oxidised by means of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline solution the same compounds are obtained. On treatment with cold nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.5 ', rottlerin yields, besides oxalic acid, two new acids melting at 282° and 226,° and having respectively the formulæ C₁₇H₁₄O₉ , and C₁₇H₁₆O₉ . These are readily separated by recrystallisation from alcohol. Boiling nitric acid of sp. gr. 1.5 decomposes rottlerin, forming oxalic acid and a bibasic acid of the formula C₁₃H₁₀O₉ , melting at 232°, and yielding a crystalline silver salt, C₁₃H₈O₉ Ag₂ . When heated with acetic anhydride, rottlerin yields a diacetyl derivative of the formula C₁₁H₈O₃ (C₂ H₃O₂ ). The molecular weight of rottlerin has not yet been satisfactorily determined, but probably about 485.

The resin of low melting point agrees with the formula C₁₂H₁₂O₃ . It resembles rottlerin, from which its formula differs by CH₂ .

The yellow crystalline colouring matter obtained in the first extractions of Kamala with carbon bisulphide is closely allied to rottlerin. It forms a beautiful, glistening mass of yellow needles, and melts at 192-193°.

The wax extracted gave as a mean C=79. 70 p.c., H= 12.86 p.c, agreeing with the formula C₂₈H₅₄O₂ . This wax is a colourless, apparently crystal- line mass melting at 82°,

Irorottlerin C₁₂H₁₂O₅ , crystallises in groups of minute plates melting at 198 199°, and in its appearance greatly resembles rottlerin, from which, however, it is readily distinguished by being practically insoluble in carbon bisulphide, chloroform, and benzene, whereas rottlerin is comparatively soluble in these liquids.

The resin of high melting point is a pale yellow, amorphous substance of the formula C₁₃H₁₂O₄ , closely allied to rottlerin in many of its properties, and which also yields the acid of the formula C₁₃H₁₀O₉ when boiled with nitric acid of sp. gr. 1.5.