a04 SOLANACEZ, 
edly also serves as a protection against consumption by 
animals. 
Wotezal finds only three trustworthy tests for the presence of 
solanine, viz.:—(1) Mandalin’s vanadin-sulphuric acid, i.e, 1 
part of ammonia-metavanadinate in 1000 parts of tri-hydrated 
sulphuric acid (H?SO*+2H?0O). The test is one of extra- 
ordinary delicacy; if the preparation contain solanine, it 
goes through the following series of colours :—yellow, orange- 
red, purple-red, brown, pure red, violet, blue-green, and 
then disappears altogether. (2) Brandt’s reagent: 0°3 gram 
sodium selenate in a mixture of 8 c.c. of water and 6 e.c. 
ef pure sulphuric acid, Ifthe preparation containing solanine 
is first warmed, then, on cooling, it becomes first violet-red, 
then orange-red and yellow-brown, the colour finally disap- 
pearing. (3) Pure sulphuric acid as a macro-chemical reagent, 
but this test has no advantage over the other two. (Pharm. 
Journ., July 1890.) : 
_ Prof. E. Schmidt and Mr. Schiitte (Apoth. Zig., 1890, 501,) 
have recently reported that they have found small quantities of 
an alkaloid having the property of dilating the pupil in S. 
nigrum. Solanine has also been obtained from 8S. duleamara 
along with a glucoside Dulcamarin. Duleamarine was the name 
given by Wittstein to a nitrogenous substance which he obtain- 
ed from the stalks of S. duleamara. This substance has been 
further examined by Geissler (Arch. Pharm. (3) vii. 289), who, 
by treating it with ammonia, has freed it from a nitrogenous 
impurity, and by converting the remaining substance into a lead 
ae Gear, and decomposing the latter with hydrogen sul- 
phide, has obtained a pure non-azotised body having the 
composition C*"H5*O'°. This duleamarin ig amorphous, 
tastes bitter at first, afterwards persistently sweet, dissolves in 
aleohol and acetic ether, and is precipitated by basic lead 
acetate, yielding the compounds Ona PbOw 4+. 3H?O and 
C”"H™ Pbo” ¥ 5H7O. 
By the action of dilute acids, dulcamarin is encheud into 
glucose and a resinous compound wkend. scalled dadzamaratins 
ie -_ Dict. of Chem. vill. badah a = 
