196 APPENDIX. 



are solely due to tlieir having failed to separate it completely from 

 colouring material. I am also of opinion that aristin partakes of 

 the nature of the yellow substance* obtained by previous observers, 

 and that, according to some remarks of Dymock and Warden, it is 

 probably present in the root of Aristohchia indica. 



Aristolochin is the name given by Dr. J. Pohl to the active 

 principle of the seeds of Aristolochia Clematitis and the roots of 

 A. rotunda and 4. longa. The powdered drugs were exhausted with 

 petroleum- ether, which removed chlorophyll, oil, and a gelatinous, 

 nitrogenous, inactive substance (occasionally this can be obtained 



Avarm 



bitter principles ; after evaporating to synipy consistence it was 

 taken up with water and acidulated with sulphuric acid, the preci- 

 pitate collected, expressed, dried at 40° C, and extracted in a Soxhlot 

 apparatus for some weeks with petroleum-ether until the last traces 

 of the above-mentioned nitrogenous substance were removed and 

 the residue exhausted with alcohol or ether ; from this alcoholic or 

 ethereal solution there separated after a time yellow crystalline 

 masses, which, recr\stallized several times from ethereal solution, 

 were found to constitute the active principle. It is soluble in chloro- 

 form, ether, acetone, phenol, acetic anhydride, aniline, and alcohol ; 

 almost insoluble in cold water, slightly soluble in \ 



arm 



benzol 



and alkaline-earth hydrates dissolve it; from neutral or alkaline 

 solutions it is precipitated by neutral and basic lead acetate, dialyzed 



n-on, zinc 



salt 



but not by alum, copper sulphate, and platinic chloride ; it docs not 

 reduce Fehling's solution and does not react with Millon's reagent. 

 Its ultimate analysis, C 69-98, H 3-54, N 4-32, 32-16, leads to the 

 formula C^H^^N'O'"' Physiologically it was found that cold- 

 blooded animals were entirely indifferent to it ; while in warm- 

 blooded animals uremic intoxication was produced ; in this respect 

 aristolochin is a much more powerful agent than any other sub- 

 stance ; it resembles aloin in its action upon thefkidneys, but is about 

 ten times more poisonous— it is probable that given to man it may 



act as a cathartic iArch. f. e^per. Pathol. «. Pharm.), (Apoth. Ztg. 

 1891,642.) ' ^ ^ 



See Fharm. Journ., 1i,, 245. 



