CHEMISTRY OF ALKALOIDS 147 



that are decidedly toxic. By introducing the organic group, methoxy CH 3 O, a 

 compound is produced from which several derivatives have been formed, which 

 possess antitipyretic properties that have led to their use in medicine. These are 

 known as analgen, kairin, kairolin, and thallin. Quinin differs from cinchonin 

 in containing the methoxy-group in place of a hydrogen atom. This addition 

 produces a much stronger antipyretic. The antipyretic effect of the methoxy 

 group is shown in some of the derivatives of anilin. For example, anilin is a 

 highly poisonous compound although it has good antipyretic properties. The 

 addition of a similar group to the one in question produces a compound known 

 as acetanilid or antifebrin. The group added, CH P CO, is known as acetyl, 

 In introducing the methyl group into acetanilid its antipyretic properties are 

 somewhat reduced but its anti-neuralgic properties are increased. The addition 

 of hydrogen to quinolin increases its toxic properties while the hydroxyl group 

 increases the antifebrin results. The antipyretic properties of antipyrin are 

 probably due to the two methyl groups present in the molecule. The ethyl 

 group when added to organic compounds that are poisonous, in many cases at 

 least, decrease their toxic character. The same is true of the acid or carboxyl 

 group. When morphin is heated with hydrochloric acid, water is formed, as 

 in hydrolysis, and a new compound known as apo-morphin. This treatment has 

 developed two hydroxyl groups. This new compound is an excellent emetic 

 The introduction of two acetic acid groups changes morphin into a mildly 

 acting sedative known as heroin. Finally the purin alkaloids owe their proper- 

 ties to the methyl groups introduced into xanthin i. e. as distinct from the 

 zanthins. 



The accumulation of facts in this direction is increasing rapidly and some 

 generalization from them will do for medicine what antisepticism and anesthe- 

 tics have done for surgery, and change it from an empirical to a scientific basis. 



Blyth in his work on "Poisons; Their Effects and Detection" has classified 

 the alkaloids and other organic poisons into the following groups. 



ALKALOIDS. 



First group, liquid volatile alkaloids, under which there are grouped the 

 alkaloids of Conium (coniin, conhydrin), tobacco (nicotin), piturie from Du- 

 boisia Hopwoodii belonging to the same family as tobacco, and spartein from 

 the Common Broom (Spartium scoparium). 



Second group, the opium group, contains the alkaloids from the Poppy, the 

 more important being morphin, thebain, codein, of the Morphin group; and 

 papaveramin, codamin, laudanin, narcotin, papaverin of the Papaverin group. 



Third group, the strychnin or tetanus-producing group of alkaloids. Under 

 this head are included the alkaloids strychnin and brucin, derived from Strych- 

 nos Nux vomica of the family Loganiaceae ; the alkaloids are aspidospermin, que- 

 bracho obtained from the Querbracho (Aspidosperma quebracho bianco) of the 

 family Apocynaceae, and at least four others ; the alkaloids from the Pereira 

 bark Geissospernum Vellosii pereirin the alkaloids from Gelsemium or Carolina 

 Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) of the family Loganiceae, gelsemin and 

 gelseminin ; the cocaine alkaloids obtained from Erythroxylon coca, cocain 

 hygrin, etc. ; the alkaloids from the roots of the European Corydalis cava, cory- 

 dalin, corybulbin, and six others. The corydalin in large doses causes epilepti- 

 form convulsions. 



