398 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



vent It but apparently without success. — Annales de Chimie, 

 xvi. p. 427. 



19. Cathartine, the active Principle of Senna, — MM. J. L. 

 Lassaigne and H. Fenuelle, in examining senna, obtained from 

 it a particular principle called by them cathartine. A decoction 

 of the leaves was made, and, after being filtered, was precipi- 

 tated by acetate of lead. The precipitate collected was dif- 

 fused through water, and sulphuretted hydrogen passed through 

 it. The liquor filtered was evaporated to dryness, and digested 

 in alcohol, and the alcohol solution then evaporated to dryness. 

 It contained acetate of potassa, which was separated by alcohol 

 acidulated by sulphuric acid; then filtering to separate the 

 sulphate of potassa insoluble in this fluid, precipitating the 

 excess of sulphuric acid by acetate of lead, decomposing this 

 latter salt by sulphuretted hydrogen, filtering again and eva- 

 porating to dryness, a substance was obtained, which was con- 

 sidered the purgative principle of senna. 



This substance is uncrystallizable, of a reddish yellow colour, 

 of a particular smell, a bitter and nauseous taste. It is soluble 

 in alcohol and water in all proportions; insoluble in ether. Its 

 extract becomes moist in the air. It purges in very small 

 doses. — Annales de Chimie, xvi. p. 20. 



20. Piperin, or the active Principle of Pepper. — Piperin is a 

 uew vegetable principle, extracted from black pepper, by 

 M. Pelletier. To obtain it, black pepper was digested in 

 alcohol repeatedly, and the solution evaporated, until a fatty 

 resinous matter was left. This, on being washed in warm 

 water, was left of a good green colour, and had a hot and 

 burning taste; it dissolved readily in alcohol, and less rea- 

 dily in sulphuric ether ; concentrtaed sulphuric acid gave it 

 a fine scarlet colour. A solution of this substance in hot 

 alcohol, being left for some days, deposited a number of small 

 crystals. These were purified by repeated solution and crys- 

 tallization in alcohol and ether, and from the mother liquors, 

 fresh portions were obtained, which, on purification, were like 

 the first. It is to be remarked, that the pepper taste they pos- 

 sessed when impure, gradually left them as they became more 

 and more pure ; so that the white crystals scarcely had any 

 taste, while it seemed to accumulate in the fatty matter, as 

 the crystalline portion was separated from it : and also, that 

 the purer the crystals, the finer the tint produced in them by 

 sulphuric acid. The fatty matter left, also reddened by sul- 

 phuric acid ; but it is a question whether it would do so when 

 pure. 



The crystalline matter forms colourless four-sided prisms, 

 with single inclined tcrmini^lions ; they have scarcely any 



