8041. Quillaja Saponin

Description and references

The saponin of quillay bark. Isolation: Kobert, Arch. Exp. Pathol. Pharmakol. 23, 233 (1887); Pachorukow, Arbeiten des Pharmakologischen Instituts zu Dorpat I, 5 (1888); Cofman-Nicoresti, Pharm. J. 111, 103 (1923), found the total saponin content of quillay bark to be ≈9 or 10%. The saponin is built from quillaic acid, a sugar and possibly other substances.

Properties

Amorphous, deliquescent powder which causes sneezing when dispersed in the air. Freely sol in dil alc. Foams easily when shaken with water, the foam being relatively stable.