Gelsemium, Further Chemical Investigation of. L. E. Sayre. (Proc. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., 55, 352.) The author finds that it is not possible to entirely precipitate gelsemic acid from the alcoholic extract of fresh gelsemium root by means of neutral or basic lead acetate. The pure acid was found to melt at 197-5°C. After removing the acid by shaking out, the acid aqueous solution with CHCl3 gave when rendered alkaline with AmOH and again shaken out with CHCl, a yellow amorphous alkaloid, which was not obtained crystalline even after precipitating as periodide, and liberating the base therefrom with H2SO3. The hydrochloride obtained from it was also amorphous.

Glycerin, Fatty Impurities in. G. F. Bergh. (Apoth. Zeit., 32, 741.) Commercial glycerin invariably contains more or less free or combined butyric and oxystearic acids; as a rule, the greater proportion of these are present as glyceryl esters. Glyceryl butyrate, or monobutyrin, has only the faintest butyric odour, and oxystearic acid is odourless. The amount of free acids may be determined by direct titration with N/10 NaOH solution, with phenol-phthalein indicator. The total amount of oxystearic acid, however, cannot be determined in the usual manner, by saponification, since it is composed of two acid anhydrides. One of these, a lactide of 1-10-oxystearic acid, is readily attacked by alkalies; the other, a lactone of p-oxystearic acid, is saponified with extreme difficulty. Still, some indication of the purity of the glycerin as regards the presence of esters, may be obtained by saponifying with N/10 KOH on the water-bath for 15 minutes.

Glycerophosphates, Acid. P. A. W. Self. (Pharm. Journ. [4], 26, 627.) The glycerophosphates generally employed in pharmacy are the neutral salts. The acid glycerophosphates, less generally known, are not without pharmaceutical importance. The general formula of the acid glycerophosphates is

C3H5 (OH)20-P OH (where R represents any monovalent

OR

metal), that of the neutral glycerophosphates being

The general methods of preparation are as follows:The acid glycerophosphates of Ba, Sr, and Ca are prepared by the addition of H2SO, to a solution of the corresponding glycerophosphate, until this solution reacts acid to methyl orange. The reaction proceeds according to the equation

O

C3H5(OH)2 OP O+H2SO=

O-Ba

BaSO,+Ba C3H5(OH)2-O-POH

(CH.(OH), OH)

The remaining acid glycerophosphates may be prepared by double decomposition between one of the acid salts mentioned above-preferably that of barium-and the soluble sulphate of the metal whose acid glycerophosphate is required. Thus

The general properties of the acid glycerophosphates may be summarized as follows:

They are very soluble in water-much more so than the neutral salts and are precipitated with difficulty from their aqueous solutions by alcohol, the precipitates thus obtained being transparent and gelatinous. They are not crystalline, and when dried in vacuo form white (or blue in the case of copper) vitreous and hygroscopic masses. The aqueous solutions are less easily precipitated by heat than those of the neutral salts, but when boiled slowly decompose as follows:

Ca(C,H,(OH),O.POH),+H,O=

C3H5(OH)2O.P-0 +H3PO,+C3H5(OH)3

O-Ca

Analytically the acid glycerophosphates are characterized by the following reactions:

Ammonium molybdate: Precipitate given only after prolonged boiling. Lead acetate: White precipitate soluble in acetic acid. Silver nitrate and ferric chloride: No precipitate. Barium chloride: No precipitate even in concentrated solutions. They are neutral to methyl orange, but acid to phenolphthalein, the latter fact affording a'means for their determination. This may be carried out by titrating in the usual manner with a solution of sodium hydroxide, using phenolphthalein as indicator.

Detailed methods for preparing the acid glycerophosphates of various metals are given.

Grindelia, Further Notes on the Chemistry of. F. B. Power and F. Tutin. (Proc. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., 55, 337. Continuing the chemical investigation of Grindelia (Year-Books, 1906, 39; 1907, 198), it is found that the portion of the resin soluble in petroleum ether consists of a mixture of liquid acids, mostly optically active unsaturated cyclic compounds; some are oxyacids and appear to contain benzene nuclei. A small amount of cerotic acid, and probably a trace of palmitic acid, are also present. The ammonia previously noted as liberated by alkali is derived from chlorophyll. In addition to the phytosterol and hentriacontane previously isolated, another hydrocarbon is also present in the non-acid portion of the petroleum ether extract, but it consists mainly of a mixture of esters, probably glycerides. The ether extract of the resins contains traces of a colourless crystalline alcohol, C17H28O3, or C23H38O4 in plates, m.p. 256-257°C. It also gives a trace of a yellow phenolic body, C1H12O5, in prisms, m.p. 227–228°C.

Guaiacum Resin. (Evans' Analyt. Report, 1907, 24.) This contains very variable amounts of insoluble matter.

The figures given represent parts per cent, and the saponification value is calculated on the drug freed from dirt and inert matter.

Gums, Uses, Properties, and Production of. (Bull. Imp. Inst., 6, 29.) The communication deals at length with the chemistry and commerce of the various gums met with in trade from different parts of the Empire. The analytical results obtained with Sudan and Senegal gums are thus summarized:

Character of Clear, Opaque, Clear
Mucilage

and

pale

reddish

brown.

Clear, Clear, Clear, Clear, very dark faintly slightly pale 1 pale brown almost yellow. yellow. yellow. brown. colour. colour- No Νο Slight marked marked sour Slight No taste taste odour. marked

No Slightly less. marked bitter.

taste or
odour.

or

or

burnt

taste.

Gums received from Northern Nigeria have given the following figures:

of pale

Colour

pale almost almost pale pale pale almost Mucilage (10 brown yellow colour-colour- brown brown yellow colourper cent.). less less

less

The botanical source of these Nigerian gums is not definitely known.

The gum from Acacia horrida, from Orange River Colony, had the following percentage composition: Ash, 2-99; moisture, 13-06; water soluble portion, 81-84 per cent. The mucilage was rather dark and about twice as viscous as that from good Sudan gum. Its taste was sour and unpleasant; its adhesive properties were poor.

The results of the examination of various kinds of Indian gums are given in the following table:

Of these 9 gums, probably 5, viz., those from Prunus eburnea, Acacia jaquemontii, and Elœodendron glaucum would rank commercially in the first grade; those from Acacia catechu, A. arabica, A. farnesiana and A. modesta would be classed as second grade. The "ghati" gum examined, from Anogeissus latifolia resembles the best grades of "ghati" gum imported.