The resinous product consists of about five percent of free resinous acids, which acids can be separated into three different acids or groups of acids according to their solubility in the different alkalies. The remaining resinous product is composed of ester resins. On hydrolysis these esters yield three distinct acids, two resinous acids and methysticinic acid. The two resinous acids are distinctly different, both in physical properties and in chemical properties. They can be sharply separated by means of the difference in solubility of their barium and iron salts. These acids may be separate individual substances, or a group of related substances. The barium and iron acids although different chemically, have some groups in common as shown by the formation of a common oxidation product. There are at least three alcohol radicals formed through hydrolysis, a resinous alcohol radical, a crystalline substance with a melting point of 130 degrees, and a volatile oil.
The physiological action of the Ava is due to the ester resins. The two resinous acids formed through the hydrolysis of these esters seem to be the two active constituents of the resin ester.
From the above outlined work it appears that the ava root does not contain any alkaloidal substance, as none of the constituents were found to contain nitrogen.
That the aqueous infusion used by the ava drinkers contains the same constituents as are extracted by the ether is shown by the following. An infusion of the ava was made by allowing some of the powdered drug to remain in contact with water for about twelve hours. The infusion was then filtered and the filtrate extracted with ether. A resinous mass remained which from all appearances was identical with the resins obtained from the ether extract. It also gave the same action when placed on the tongue as was produced by the resins from the ether extract.