Ether dissolves resin and volatile oil, leaving the gum. Vinegar forms a smooth, uniform emulsion with it, but does not dissolve it. Mr. Hatchett found it soluble in alkalies. It has a peculiar odor, and a bitter, acrid, and nauseous taste. Ether separates it into an insoluble resin, and a resin soluble in sulphuric acid, and fixed and volatile oils.
Alkalies form a cloudy solution.
Nitric acid converts it into a yellow bitter matter, soluble in hot alcohol and water, and which will dye silk a fine yellow color, without being affected by chlorine. The gum is reddish-yellow, transparent, brittle, somewhat bitter, soluble in water, from which it is precipitated by subacetate of lead, and is converted into mucic, malic, oxalic, etc., acids, by the action of nitric acid. The oil, which may be obtained by distillation of the gum-resin with water, is transparent, colorless, and lighter than water. It differs chemically from most of the allied gum-resins, in not yielding umbelliferon upon dry distillation. Neither does the drug contain sulphur.