CURCUMIN

n. KuBr'ku2-mi2n. Lat., curcuminum. Fr., curcumine. Ger., C., Kurkumin, Curcumagelb. A diatomic monobasic acid, C, 4Hi4O4, forming the peculiar yellow coloring matter of the rhizome of Curcuma longa and other species of Curcuma. It is brown in ma , but becomes yellow when powdered, has neither taste nor odor, is hardly soluble in water, but abundantly soluble in alcohol, in ether, and in the oils. It has been obtained in deep yellow crystals of a diamond lustre. It does not sublime, but at 165 C. begins to melt, and at a higher temperature decomposes. [B, 5, 18, 270 (a, 24).] CURCUMOL,, n. Ku6r'ku2-mo2l. That portion, C19H..,8O, of the oil obtained from curcuma rhizome that distils between 193 and 198 C.; a pale-yellow, agreeably aromatic body, boiling at from 285 to 290 C., with partial decomposition. [B, 81 (a, 27).] [s. 472]