ALKALOIDS OF PUKATEA BARK. 123' 



111 the case of the Laureha the theory of the protective function 

 of alkaloids certainly has some evidence to support it. The leaves 

 of the New Zealand species have not been observed to be attacked by 

 leaf eaters, and Mueller (Select Extra-tropical plants, 1895) states 

 that a Chilian species, L. aromatica, a colossal tree in Valdivia, is the 

 principle one used for flooring. The wood is never bored by insects, 

 and is well able to stand exposure in the open air. 



Poisons are by no means essential products of metabolism. In. 

 the sweet almond the power of producing amygdalin has been entirely 

 lost. Vogel was unable to detect 'any quinine in cinchona plants 

 grown in European hot-houses. t The hemlock may produce no conine 

 in Scotland. It is stated that Indian hemp resin fails to produce toxic 

 effects when grown in Europe (Easterfield and Wood, Camb. PhiL 

 Trans., Proc. IX., 1896). 



Alkaloids found in the same plant generally bear the closest 

 relation to each other; often they fonn a homologous series; fre- 

 quently they are isomers or even stereoisomers. The same alkaloid is 

 I'aiely met with in different families, but not infrequently an alkaloid 

 is characteristic of a family or even of a species. The small family 

 Monimiaceai is best represented in tropical South America, but is alscv 

 found in tropical Asia, the Mascarene Islands, Australia, and 

 Polynesia. There are twenty-two genera, containing 150 species; the 

 genus Laurelia is c6nfined to South America and New Zealand. , The 

 family contains only a few species to which attention has been directed 

 by phannacists and others. The leaves of Peunms holdus, an ever- 

 green Andean shi-ub, are used in medicine under the name Boldo. 

 Bourgoin and Verae (Jouni. Phann. et Chemie, xvi., 191, also in 

 Journ. Chem. Soc, 1873, p. 179) have obtained from Boldo an 

 amorphous powder which they state is slightly soluble in water, giving 

 alkaloidal reactions and a bitter taste; soluble in alcohol, ether, 

 chloroform, alkali, and benzene; sohible in acid; precipitated by 

 ammonia, mercuric potassic iodide, and iodine solution. Concentrated 

 iiiti-ic acid gives an immediate reil colour, and sulphuric acid gives the 

 same colour in the cold. There is no later reference in Beilstein to 

 any alkaloid fi-om boldo, but a glucoside, " an amber-coloured syrup," 

 is described. (Chapoteant, Bl., 42, 291.) No analyses ai-e given. 

 Pascalleti (Terapia Moderna, 1891) describes the physiological action 

 nf boldine^ — ''When injected hypodermically, boldine paralyses both 

 the motor and sensoiy nerves, and also attacks the muscle fibres. As 

 a local anaesthetic he believed it to be superior to caffeine but inferior 

 to cocaine. When given intennally in toxic dose, it produces great 

 excitement, with exaggeration of the reflexes and of the respiratory 

 litovements, increased diuresis, cramps, disorder of coordination, con- 

 vulsions, and finally death from centric respiratory paralysis, the 

 heart continuing to beat long after the arrest of respiration, finally 

 stopping in diastole." "' According to A. T. De Rochebrune (Toxicol. 

 Africaine, i., 1897) the tree Monimia rotundifolia of Australia, con- 

 tains an abundant volatile oil, an alkaloid, and a glucoside, which 

 are very similar to, if they be not identical with, those obtained from 

 the Boldo, and may be substituted for the latter in therapeutics." 



t Cf. also Howard (loq. ci>.) ; quinine is only produced in favourable soil and 

 environments, and at high elevations. 



