KARAKA BERRY POISON. 159 
3. Only one species is recorded from Asia (C’. nepalensis). 
This is not known to be poisonous, and the authors have not 
succeeded in isolating a toxic substance from it. 
4. The examination is being extended to the Mexican 
species, with the object of furnishing material from the 
chemical standpoint for those engaged in the study of 
variation. 
THE POISON OF THE KARAKA BERRY. 
By Prof. Eastrerrie.p, M.A., Ph.D., and B. C. Asvon. 
[ Abstract. | 
Tue karaka tree (Corynocarpus laevigata) is endemic to 
New Zealand and the surrounding islands; the kernel of 
the berry isastaple article of Maori food in the North Island. 
The berry is intensely poisonous in its raw state, but is 
rendered innocuous by cooking and subsequent soaking in 
water. 
Chemical examination has shown— 
1. That the air-dried powdered kernels contain 14 per 
cent. of a non-poisonous, easily saponifiable oil, together with 
mannite, mannose, and dextrose. 
2. An aqueous extract of the kernel yields prussic acid on 
distillation, and at the same time loses its bitter taste. 
3. After the bitter taste has disappeared, the solution con- 
tains a non-nitrogenous, non-toxic compound, easily soluble 
in ether, and which is not present in the freshly-prepared 
solution. 
4. The freshly-prepared solution contains a nitrogenous, 
bitter glucoside (C,, H,, N, O,, M.P.,,,), and sparingly 
soluble in cold water, alcohol, ether, &c., easily soluble in 
acetone and acetic ether. This glucoside is probably identi- 
cal with that described by Skey under the name karakin, but as 
Skey’s description appears to have been based upon an 
examination of impure material, the properties of the two 
substances do not agree closely. 
A second glucoside corynocarpin has been isolated; it is 
probably a product of the limited hydrolysis of karakin. 
