2 54 THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



The Rlkaloidal Value of Belladonna Leaves.* 



By W. A. PucknER. 



It is well known that belladonna leaf varies widely in alkaloidal 

 strength and that the pharmacopceial description in no way aids in the 

 selection of a physiologically active drug, and it is to be hoped that at the 

 next revision of the Pharmacopoeia this state of affairs will be remedied 

 by the adoption of a more definite description of a good specimen, if this 

 be found possible, or else by the adoption of an alkaloidal standard. 



To the many arguments advanced for and against such alkaloidal 

 standardization I wish to add the results of a series of essays of commer- 

 cial belladonna leaves which I believe will be the best possible argument 

 in favor of an alkaloidal standard, as they will emphasize how great a dif- 

 ference in alkaloidal content may be in different specimens of the drug. 



Gerrard 1 has studied the alkaloidal value of belladonna leaf grown 

 under various conditions and finds that the leaf of the wild plant is to be 

 preferred, and that it should be collected when the plant is fully matured, 

 and that it then contains from 0.36 to 0.58 per cent, of alkaloid. Gerrard 

 also finds that the fruit is fairly rich in active principle, thus the seeds of 

 a plant, the leaves of which contained 0.58 per cent., were found to con- 

 tain 0.34 per cent. 



Squibb 2 has remarked that in an entire bale of belladonna but a few 

 leaves can be found that will correspond to the pharmacopceial descrip- 

 tion, and that in buying the drug not a single word of the official descrip- 

 tion is of any use in selecting a good drug. He cautions against the se- 

 lection of a drug consisting of large green leaves and in which no capsules 

 are to be found, as having been harvested from cultivated plants when the 

 leaves were most succulent, but not most active. In six assays of powder 

 of good quality from 0.26 to 0.34 per cent, of alkaloid were found and it is 

 concluded that a good quality should contain at least 0.3 per cent. 



Kremel, 3 analyzing belladonna gathered during July and bearing un- 

 ripe fruit and a few blossems, found the leaves to contain 0.70 per cent., 

 the stems 0.16 per cent, and the unripe fruit 0.60 per cent. 4 



Van der Wal 5 finds that the dry extract prepared from the leaves con- 

 tains 1. 69 1 per cent, of alkaloid, while one prepared from the flowers con- 

 tains 2.170 per cent. 



The assays herewith submitted, confirming the above, were made upon 

 samples taken from bales of leaf offered for purchase. 



The parties submitting these goods were informed that the best quality of 

 drug was desired, and that purchase would depend upon the result of assay 

 The assay, according to a modification of Keller's process, 6 indicated : 

 * From the Pharmaceutical Review. 



