Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/156

906 acids, consisting of palmitic, stearic, cerotic, oleic, and linolic acids ; ipuranol, C23H38O2(0H)2 ; a new monohydric alcohol, withaniol, C25H33O4, OH, decomposing at 305°, and having [a]D+ 91.2 ; and an amorphous alkaloidal principle, which, on treatment with alkalis, yielded a crystalline base, C12H16N2 (m. p. 116°).

II. Constituents of the Leaves and Stems.— An alcoholic extract of this material, when submitted to distillation with steam, yielded a very small amount of an essential oil. The portion of the extract which was soluble in water contained, besides tannin and colouring matter, a sugar yielding d-phenylglucosazone (m. p. 205°), and a considerable quantity of potassium nitrate.

The portion of the extract which was insoluble in water consisted chiefly of resinous material, and was obtained in the form of a dark green powder. This resin was found to contain a number of substances which had also been isolated from the root of the plant, such as hentriacontane, a phytosterol, C27H46O (m. p. 133°), a mixture of fatty acids, and ipuranol. In addition to these, however, it yielded the following compounds : a new monohydric alcohol, somnirol, C32H43O6, OH, decomposing at 205° and having [a]D+34.8 ; a new dihydric alcohol, somnitol, C33H44O5(OH)2, decomposing at about 250°, and having [a]D+2l.2°; and an acidic, hydrolytic product, withanio acid, C29H45O6C02H (m. p. 226°), the methyl ester of which decomposed at 255°.

In as much as the Withania somnifera, unlike some other solanaceous plants, had been found to contain no mydriatic alkaloid, it was deemed of interest to ascertain whether the sedative or hypnotic properties attributed to it could be confirmed. For this purpose, some tests were kindly conducted for us at the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories by Drs. H.H. Dale and P. P. Laidlaw, to whom our thanks are due. It was thus ascertained that alcoholic extracts, representing about 7 grams of the root and 3 grams of the leaves and stems respectively, when administered to a dog had no perceptible effect. The hypodermic injection of the alkaloidal principle obtained from the root likewise produced in a dog no symptom of narcosis or other definite result. J. Ch. S. 1911. pp. 506 507).

Vern : — Akri, Punír-ke-bij (Hind.) ; Habbul-kâknaje-Hindi (Arab.); Tukhme-kaknaje-Hindi (Pers.) ; Ashvagandhâ (Beng.) ; Amukhurá-virai(Tam) ; Pannêru-gadda-vittulu (Tel.); Kakanája, káknaj (Bom.) ; Spinbajja, Shâpiang, Khum-a-zare ; Makha-zura ; Panir, Khamjira, Kutilaúa (Pb.) ; Punirband, Punir-jafota (Sind).

Habitat : — Punjab and Sind ; and the Sutledge valley.

A somewhat grey, rigid, small shrub. Leaves densely clothed with minute, grey, stellate tomentum. Blade l-2in., oblong,