DICTIONARY OP THE ACTIVE PKIN'CIPLES OF PLANTS. 



(«) by Hiibschmann, the investigator of last-mentioned three varieties, 

 but now ascertained to be non-]ioisonous ; A. aiittiora (c ?) ; A. lyeoc- 

 tonum (h ?), (r/?), (/) to (./), not (a). The descriptions of the alkaloids 

 (/), (r/), and (./) are due to Dragendorff and Spohn {Phanii. ,/., Trniis., 

 1H84) ; and alkaloids (/<), (/), to Hiibschmann. A. ferox (Indian or 

 Nepaul aconite ; Himalaya root), (f), trace or no (o) ; A. heterophyl- 

 lum (Atis root) (/■:; ; A. sinenso (' Shiraka-wauzuware ') (a). A Japanese 

 plant, 'Kusauzu '((() ; Ixanuncnhicca'. The plant or root. Investigators 

 very numerous ; in addition to chemists already referred to, mention 

 should be made of Wright and Lu if, Dunstan andlnce, Jiirgens, Duquesnel, 

 Groves, Paul, and Kingzett, etc. 



(-/) ACONITINE A. [Napelline ; not the Napelline of Diinstau and 

 Ince now being investigated, see (») ; Japaconitine (Lubbe), see ( /)]. 

 C.„H^.,NO,, >..■ C,,„H.,,NO,(OH).,0.(CO.CoH.,), Wright and Liiif. (Dun- 

 stau and Ince prefer Oa^Hj-jNOi.,). Crystallizes in rhombic ]irisms 

 (or amorphous if not pure), scarcely bitter unless impure, causes ting- 

 ling of the mouth, extremely poisonous (,\|-grain may be fatal), very 

 readily decomposed, with formation of Benzoic Acid and Aconine — this 

 less liable to occur when an organic acid is used for extraction ; hence 

 advantage of Duquesnel's method, in which tartaric acid is employed. 

 M.P. 188%")° (Dunstan and Ince ; other observers have found G0°, 80'-', 

 'above lOU",' 14U° — discrepancies due to the difficulty of obtaining a 

 pure specimen). Dextro-rotatory ; salts, laavo-rotatory ; alkaline re- 

 action. 



Solubility : In cold water 1 in 4,4:U at 22° C. (Dunstan), or 1 in 72(j 

 (Jiirgens), easier warm; 1 in 20 boiling alcohol, 1 in 2:50 chloroform, 

 1 in 1110 boiling ether, and in benzene. Insoluble in petroleum ether or 

 carbon bisulphide. 



Precipitants (' Reactions not reliable ' — Hiisemann) : 



Alkaline hydrates. Platinum chloride (Duquesnel) ; not 



„ carbonates. I if dilute. 



\_Not bicarbonates unless hot | Gold chloride, yellow amorphous 



(von Planta).] (crys. from alcohol, M.P. 135""). 



Ammonia hydrate, soluble in [Not by ferro- or ferri-cyanides of 



e.\cess. potassium.] 



Tannic acid. j Potassium bichromate ; not at once, 



Picric acid (Duquesnel) ; not ] but gradually 1 in 3,000. 



if dilute. I [Not by Argentic- potassic cya- 



Ferric chloride, yellow. , nide.] 



Mercuric ])otassic bromide, 



amorphous pp. 

 Mercuric - potassic iodide,' The 



white amorphous. two best 



Hydriodic acid, micioscopic tests. — 



crystals. Lubbe. 



Iodine tincture, reddish. 



Pbospho-molybdic acid, light 



yellow flocculent. 

 Phospho-tungstic acid. 

 lodo-pota.ssic iodide, yellow-red. 

 Bismuth-potassic iodide, orange 



—limit 1 in 40,01)0. 

 C'admium-potas. iodide ; white, 

 1 in 1,000; cloud. at 1 in2,r>(»0. 1 

 Colour tests : Alem. — When perfectly pure no colours are given. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid, gradual violet. 

 „ „ „ with sugar, red. 



„ ,, „ with nitric acid, gradual violet. 



Nitric acid, reddish-brown. ' , 



Concentrated hydrochloric acid, colourless. 

 Friihde's reagent, yellowish-brown. 



{b) ACONINE A. [=Acolyctine (Wright and Luff), this identity 

 questioned by Dragendorff, see (;)]. C,„H.,,,NO„ = C._,oH.yNO;(OH)i or 

 C„gH4,NO,|. Occurs naturally, and formed artificial]}-, together with 

 benzoic acid, by saponification of aconitine by alcoholic potash ; amor- 

 phous powder forming amorphous salts ; M.P. about 130 , alkaline, bitter, 

 does not produce tingling of the tongue. Physiological action feeble. 



Soluble in alcohol, chloroform, and water. Insoluble, or difficultly 

 soluble, in ether, benzene, petroleum ether. 



Precipitants, etc 



Gold chloride, with reduction of 



gold. 

 S'lver nitrate, reduced. 

 Fchling's solution, reduced. 

 Phospho-molybdic acid, bluish-gray 



Ammonia, gelatinous. 

 [No pp. carbonates or bicar- 

 bonates.] 

 Lead acetate, soluble in excess. 

 Tannic acid, pp. 

 No colour with concentrated sulphuric acid. 



(<■) PSEUDACONITINE A., C^sHj^NOn, or 



C:rH,j-N05(OH);,.O.CO.CsH3(OCH3), ; 

 may be obtained ia crystalline needles, but usually separated as varnish : 

 M.P. 104° -10.')°; very poisonous, resembles aconitine; salts difficultly 

 crystallizable : yields on saponification (by merely, heating) pseudaconine 

 and veratric acid (dimethyl-proto-catechuic acid). 



Soluble in alcohol, in ether with difficulty — though crystals are obtain- 

 able therefrom— scarcely in water. 



