PICROTOXIN. 459 



cold water, easily soluble in boiling water, in alcohol 

 and ether, the solution being of a yellow color. ^ Solu 

 ble in very large quantity in a saturated solution of 

 borax. Ammonia dissolves it, forming a purple solu 

 tion, which, in contact with the air, becomes ^ dark-red, 

 and, when evaporated, leaves behind dark-violet crys 

 tals of hcematetn-ammmia, C 16 H 9 (NH 4 )0 5 + 2H 2 0(?). 

 From a solution of the latter body, acetic acid throws 

 down a brownish-red, voluminous precipitate of hcema- 

 tein, C 16 H 10 5 (?). 



Helenin, C 21 H 28 3 , in the root of Inula Helenium, 

 from which it can be extracted by means of alcohol. 

 Colorless, four-sided prisms ; insoluble in water, easily 

 soluble in alcohol and ether ; fuses at 72. Is decom 

 posed, by heating with phosphoric anhydride, into 

 water, carbonic oxide, and a liquid hydrocarbon, hele- 

 nene, C 19 H 26 . 



Laserpitin, C 24 H 36 7 , in the root of Laserpitium 

 latifolium. Colorless, rhombic prisms ; insoluble in 

 water, easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Fuses at 

 114. Sublimes undecomposed. Is resolved into angelic 

 acid (p. 124) and an amorphous substance, laser ol, 

 C 14 H 22 4 , when heated with caustic potassa. 



Peucedanin (Imperatorin), C 12 H 12 3 , in the root of 

 Peucedanum officinale and Imperatoria obstruthium. 

 Colorless prisms, of bright lustre. Insoluble in water, 

 soluble in alcohol and ether ; fuses at 75 ; not sub- 

 limable. Is decomposed by boiling with an alcoholic 

 solution of potassa into angelic acid and oreosilin (com 

 pare Athamantin, p. 456). 



Picrotoxin, C 12 H 14 5 , in the seeds of Cocculus 

 indicus (Menispermum cocculus). The powdered seeds 

 are extracted with boiling alcohol, the alcohol distilled 

 off from the extract, and the residue boiled with a 

 large quantity of water. Foreign bodies are precipi 

 tated from the aqueous solution by means of lead 

 acetate; the nitrate evaporated after treatment with 

 sulphuretted hydrogen; and the picrotoxin, which 



