272 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



Narceine (0.1 to 0.2 per cent) occurs in silky needles or quad- 

 rangular prisms, which are nearly insoluble in cold water and alcohol, 

 and are colored blue with iodin solutions and blood-red with chlorin 

 water and ammonia. 



Protopine occurs in monoclinic prisms, which are insoluble in 

 water and sparingly soluble in alcohol, the solution having a bitter 

 taste. Sulphuric acid dissolves protopine with a beautiful blue- 

 violet color, which later becomes dull violet and finally greenish. 

 Protopine is also found in a number of other plants of the Papaver- 



FIG. 124. Narcotine: orthorhombic crystals from alcoholic solution. 



acese, as the roots of Macleya cordata and Chelidonium majus; 

 the rhizome of Sanguinaria, and other plants as well. 



Of the other alkaloids in opium the following may be mentioned : 

 Codamine, cryptopine, gnoscopine, lanthopine, laudanine, lau- 

 danosine, meconine, meconidine and xanthaline. 



Opium also contains from 3 to 5 per cent of meconic acid, which 

 exists in combination with morphine, codeine and other alkaloids. 

 It forms rhombic prisms that are soluble in water and alcohol and 

 give a deep-red color in solutions of ferric chloride, which is not 

 altered on the addition of dilute hydrochloric acid. 



