154-4 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—As far as I can determine, the American plant 
has not been analyzed, but as it at least contains a small amount of the resinoid 
principle of the Indian plant, it may be well to glance at the chemistry of Guna, 
as it stands at this date. There is great uncertainty concerning the active princi- 
ple of this drug, as the Cannadin of the Smiths fails, so far, to answer, at the hands 
of other chemists, to the characteristics claimed for it by them. Worden and 
Waddle find the nicotia-like alkaloid of Preobraschersky, but in their hands it 
proves inert; and, though Siebold and Bradbury found a volatile alkaloid (Canna- 
éinine), they claim that it is unlike nicotia, though they have not tested its action 
upon animals. Merck isolated a glucoside, which he combines with tannin and 
calls Cannabin Tannin, and from which Bombelon obtained a body he terms Can- 
nabinum ; this tannin compound often proves inert. Matthew Hay reports an 
alkaloid, forming in acicular crystals, and having a tetanic action upon frogs, which 
he calls Zetano-Cannadin, and considers as a secondary principle.* This is about 
the condition of the chemistry of this drug to-day; which the following digest will 
farther explain: 
Cannabin.—This body, extracted from Gunja, by Messrs. T. and H. Smith,} 
and considered much purer than Gastinel’s Hashascin, results as a brown, amor- 
phous, solid resin, which burns with a bright flame, leaving no ash, and is soluble 
in alcohol and ether. It is claimed, by its discoverers, to be very potent, two-thirds 
of a grain proving decidedly narcotic, and one grain causing complete intoxication. 
Personne claims that the activity of this body is due to the volatile oil, but his 
method of extracting the body was sufficient to render it inert, rendering his claim, 
therefore, inadmissible. Bolas and Francist obtained from this body : 
Oxycannabin, C,,H,,N,O,, which resulted in large, neutral prisms, from its 
solution in methylic alcohol. These crystals melt at 176° (348.8° F.), and evapo- 
rate without decomposition. Fliickiger failed to obtain this body from purified 
resin of Charas.§ 
Oil of Cannabis.—This volatile, pale yellow oil, was discovered in the tops 
by Personne,|| who claimed it to be the active principle of the plant, and to cause, 
in those who inhaled its effluvium, shuddering, and desire for locomotion, followed 
by prostration and sometimes syncope. Bolig obtained this oil from the fresh tops 
of the Arabian plant, and found its effects to be similar to those claimed for it by 
Personne, and further stated that it contained oxygen. Personne succeeded in 
separating the oil into two hydrocarbons: Cannabine, C,,H,» and Cannxabine 
Hydride, C,,H,,, the latter being a solid composed of platy crystals. 
Other unessential bodies have been determined, to none of which the activity 
of the drug can be assigned. 
pn a ent 
* Am. Four. Phar., 1885, 264; from Phar. Four. and Trans., 1885, 574- 
+ Phar. Four., 1847, 171. 
t Chem. News, 1871, 77. 
& Pharmacographia, 549. 
|| Four. de Phar., 1857, 48; Canstatt's Fahres., 1857, 28. 
