ARISTOLOCHIACE^ 191
latter an amorphous, white dibromide of the melting-point 157° to 159°.
In view of its behaviour amyrolin appears to be a lactone-like body of
the aromatic series.EAST AFRICAN SANTAL OIL.
A so-called santal oil has been distilled in East Africa, and examined
, by Haensel and by Schimmel & Co. It is the product of species of
O«ym (probably 0. tenuifolia) and has the following characters :—
Specific gravity...0-9477 to 0-963
Optical rotation
Refractive index
Acid value.
Ester „
Santalol.
- 40-6° „ - 61°
1-5219
1-7
8-1 to 17'9
30-5 per cent.ARISTOLOCHIACE/E.
OIL OF SNAKE-WOOD (EUROPEAN).
The ordinary European snake-wood oil is distilled from the root of
.Asarum europaeum, which yields about 1 per cent, of a thick dark
brown oil of sweet aromatic odour. The specific gravity of this oil
varies from 1*015' to 1*07. According to Petersen, when frozen it de-
posits crystals of asarone.
The oil contains pinene, methyl-isoeugenol, and a compound termed
4warone. This body has the following constitution :—^^-OCH 3 (*)
XOCH
3 (*)
OIL OF SNAKE BOOT (CANADIAN).This oil is distilled from the rhizomes of Asarum canadense, a plant
growing in the Northern United States. The yield is from 3 to 5 per
•cent, of an aromatic oil. The plant is also known as Indian wild
.ginger. The oil has a strong nondescript aromatic odour and taste,
and varies in characters. The oil distilled from the rhizomes without
the rootlets has the following characters :—l
Specific gravity.. ... 0*9516 to 0'9520
Optical rotation - 2° 50' , - 10° 42'
Refractive index 1-4851 , 1-4886
Acid value. 3-1 , 3-7
Ester „ 86 , 117
„ „. after (acetyiation) ... 126 , 137
The oil distilled from the rhizomes with the rootlets has the follow-
ing characters:—
Specific gravity. 0'951 to 0'952
Optical rotation - 10° 30' „ - 22°
Refractive index 1-4854 „ 1-4899
Acid value. 3-7 „ 4-7
Ester , 74-7 „ 115-9
„ •„ (after acetyiation) 125 „ 140
The oil from the rootlets alone, which was obtained to the extent of
1
*
2 per cent., had the following characters :—(^1) Schimmel's Report, April, 1908, 99; April, 1909, 85.