COLCHICI CORMUS 1 15 



In the latter part of spring a new corm begins to form at the expense of 

 the old one. In September the upper portion of the flower emerges from the 

 spathe just above ground unaccompanied with leaves. The rudimentary fruit 

 at the base of the flower, below ground, in the following spring rises upon a 

 stem above the surface, in the form of a 3-celled capsule. At the same time 

 the leaves appear; so that, in fact, the leaves follow the flower, instead of 

 preceding it. During the development of the fruit the new corm has been 

 developing at the expense of the old parent one. It will be seen that the 

 medicinal virtues depend upon the time of collection. Early in the spring it 

 is too young, and late in the fall the parent corm has become exhausted by 

 the nutriment furnished to the new plant. The proper period for collection, 

 therefore, is said to be from June to the month of August, although April 

 roots have been found to be of superior efficacy. 



68. COLCHICI CORMUS 



COLCHICUM CORM 



The dried corm of Col'chicum Autumnal'e Linne, yielding by the official process 

 not less than 0.35 per cent, of colchicine. 



DESCRIPTION or DRUG. An ovoid corm about 25 to 40 mm. (i to i% 

 in.), long flattened and deeply grooved on one side; when dried and 

 deprived of its outer membranous covering it is wrinkled and of a 

 brownish-gray color; internally whitish. It often comes into market 

 in transverse starchy slices having a reniform outline, due to the 

 lateral groove; inodorous; taste sweetish, bitter, and somewhat 

 acrid. A very deep or large notch in the slices indicates that the 

 corm has been partially exhausted by the offset which springs from 

 the base. 



Powder. Microscopical elements: See Part iv, Chap. I, B. 



CONSTITUENTS. Colchicine, a methyl derivative of colchice'in as will be 

 seen from the following: Colchicem, CisHgCNHCOCHaXOCHgV 

 COOH; colchicine, CisHgtNHCOCHsXOCHa^COOCHs. With min- 

 eral acids colchicine yields colchice'ine and methyl alcohol. 

 Starch, gum, resin, fat, and sugar are also present. 



Preparation of Colchicine. Exhaust with alcohol, dilute with water, filter; add 

 lead subacetate to precipitate coloring matter; add sodium phosphate to remove 

 lead; precipitate solution with tannin, wash the precipitate and digest with lead 

 oxide, dry, and dissolve out colchicine with alcohol. Occurs in whitish amorphous 

 powder or crystals; odor saffron-like, taste bitter. 



ACTION AND USES. Colchicum is a gastro-intestinal irritant; the larger 

 therapeutic doses sometimes cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. 

 In poisoning there is intense gastro-intestinal irritation, bloody 

 stools, irritation in the kidneys, sometimes an ascending paralysis. 



