454 SOLANACEtE. 



Capsicin. It is obtained by treating the alcoholic extract of ether 

 and IS a thick yellowish red liquid, but slightly soluble in water' 

 When gently heated, it becomes very fluid, and at a higher tempera- 

 ture is dissipated in fumes which are extremely irritating'to respiration. 

 It IS evidently a mixed substance, consisting of resinous and fatty 

 matters. 



_ Folletar in 1869 exhausted capsicum fruits with dilute sulphuric 

 ^acid, and distilled the decoction with potash. The distillate, which 



was strongly alkaline and smelt like conine, was saturated with 



sulphuric acid, evaporated to dryness, and exhausted with absolute 

 • alcohol. The solution, after evaporation of the alcohol, was treated 



with potash, and yielded by distillation a volatile alkaloid hafing the 



odour of conine. 



From experiments made by one of us (F.) we can fully confirm the 



observations of Felletar. We have obtained the volatile base in 



question, and find it to have the smell of conine. It occurs both in the 



pericarp and m the seeds, but in so small proportion that we were 



unsuccessful m isolating it in sufficient quantity to allow of accurate 

 examination. 



Dragendorff states (1871) that petroleum ether is the best solvent 

 tor the alkaloid of capsicum ; he obtained crystals of its hvdrochi orate, 

 tne aqueous solution of which was precipitated by most of the usual 

 tests, but not by tannic acid. 



1 Pf .colouring matter of capsicum fruits is sparingly soluble in 

 alcohol, but readily in chloroform. After evaporation, an intensely red soft 

 mass IS obtained, which is not much altered by potash ; it turns first blue, 

 tnen black with concentrated sulphuric acid, like many other yellow 

 colouring substances. By alcohol ahie^j palmitic acid is extracted 

 trom the fruit, as shown by Thresh in 1877. 



{. \^,fF^^^^'^ °* ^m^'^icum fastigiatum have a somewhat strong odour; 

 on aistillmg consecutively Uvo quantities, each of 50 ft., we obtained a 

 scanty amount of flocculent fatty matter, which possesses an odour 

 suggestive of parsley. Both this matter, as well as the distilled water, 

 M ere neutral to litmus paper, and the water tasteless. We separated the 

 latter, and exposed the remaining greasy mass to a temperature of 

 about oO C., when it for the most part incited. The clear Hquid on 

 Wfi^^i V ""^'^""'^^^^^^^sistcd of tufted crystals, which we further 



^Z V . ^ ^*^f y^tallization from alcohol. Thus about 2 centigrammes 

 we obtained of a neutral white stearoptene, having a decidedly 

 ?bTff fi ""^^J persistent taste, by no means acrid, but rather like 

 Wnfrf II ^''^f'^^ ^^^ ^^ P^^«ley- The crystals melted at 38" C. On 

 onv?r!? .T for some days at the temperature of the water-bath, 

 wSt 1 .1 ^ watch-glass, some drops of essential oil were volatilized, 

 slnn7.fi '''"'^ .^^'^^ ^^"^ Jifl not solidify; the crystals were con- 



moro ?n fl T'^'T/."^'! ty a liquid oil. When kept for some dap 

 and^b. .'''''^'*^^^' ^^'"^ "^'y^^^'^^ themselves began to be volatilized. 

 doubt no,-^t 'r^'T^ ^^'""'^ ^<^M"'-red a brov?nish hue. Tins no 

 exneriiw w-.Tl^^-f impurity, ai we ascertained by the following 

 TKdTt ^'^^- ^"^^^"S «^1"^^^» «f potash, the steariptene produces 

 dissoted amftiTute ^ 'iV^'"^ ^''''^'^ transparent jelfy. K this. 

 probablv rW i ^' '^ becomes turbid by addition of an acid. Thi 

 proDaOly depends upon thenrp«^«.n^f „ i.-Zn. 4-„^^,.„.oHor. «, suff<restion 



