194, APPENDIX, 
ARISTOLOCHIACEZ. 
Aristolochine and Aristin. 
These two substances have been obtained from the roots of 
Aristolochia argentina by Dr. O. Hesse, who gives the following 
account of them (Pharm, Journ., Jan, 9th, 1892) :— 
The powdered root gives a dark brown yellow colour to ether, and 
when gaseous ammonia is added to the ethereal solution a red 
flocculent precipitate is separated. e ether solution separated 
from this precipitate gives on evaporation a yellowish-brown residue, 
in which clear, colourless crystals are formed after some time. The 
dark-coloured mass separated from these crystals and again dissolved 
in ether gives, on shaking with dilute sulphuric acid, a small 
quantity of abase. The greater part of it, however, remains in the 
root that has been treated with ether, and can be extracted with 
alcohol, On evaporating the alcoholic extract a brownish-yellow 
resinous residue is obtained that is partly dissolved by caustic soda 
solution and gives up the base to ether. 
I propose to apply the name Aristin to the substance contained in 
the above-mentioned red ammoniacal compound. When: that com- 
pound is dissolved in hot glacial acetic acid, the aristin crystallizes 
out on cooling, and it can easily be obtained in a pure state by recrys- 
tallizing from hot glacial acetic acid. Aristin forms shining gold- 
coloured laminz and flat needles sparingly soluble in hot glacial 
acetic acid and scarcely at all soluble in the cold. It is sparingly 
soluble in hot alcohol, more so in ether, chloroform, or benzene. 
At about 260° C. it blackens, but does not melt until the 
temperature reaches 270° C., and then undergoes decomposition. 
It dissolves in concentrated nitric acid on boiling for a short 
tion of red vapour. Aristin dissolves in acetic anhydride with 
a yellow colour, and when concentrated sulphurie acid is dropped 
into the solution it becomes at first intensely blue and then 
pern®mently greenish-blue. The alcoholic solution of aristin 
has a perfectly neutral reaction, but the substance combines with 
ammonia and with soda. These compounds have a fine red colour, 
and the ammonia compound can be crystallized from alcohol in 
delicate needles, Both compounds are dissolyed by water or 
