NUX VOMICA 523 



length of 1 mm., the walls being nearly straight, strongly lignified 

 and marked by longitudinal pores or folds; an inner layer of dark 

 brown completely collapsed parenchyma cells, which in the vicinity 

 of the raphe are somewhat turgid and enclose a fibrovascular bundle; 

 the cells of the endosperm are of two kinds, those near the outer 

 surface being more or less rectangular, the walls swelling but slightly 

 in water; and those below which are irregularly polyhedral and having 

 walls that swell quite perceptibly in water. 



The walls of the endosperm cells consist of cellulose, are very thick 

 and when examined with certain swelling reagents show not only 

 lamellae, but a radiate structure resembling pores. By some, these 

 are considered to be protoplasmic strands, as they are easily stained 

 with the aniline dyes. Kraemer compares them to the radial clefts 

 of the starch grains of wheat. 



The endosperm cells contain an irregular layer of protoplasm, 

 in which is enclosed a fixed oil arid aleurone grains, the latter consist- 

 ing of large unequal globoids. 



Powder. (Fig. 221.) Grayish-white; odor slight; taste in- 

 tensely and persistently bitter; epidermal cells modified to strongly 

 lignified hairs; endosperm cells containing a fixed oil and aleurone 

 grains. Small, nearly spheroidal starch grains occur in the tissues 

 of adhering fruit pulp. It is occasionally adulterated with olive 

 endocarp and seeds of Metroxylon vitiense. 



A qualitative test having some quantitative value in determining 

 the strength of powdered nux vomica is as follows: 0.100 gramme of 

 finely powdered nux vomica (calculated to contain 2.25 per cent of 

 alkaloids) is shaken in the course of several hours with 500 c.c. of 

 water. Ten c.c. of this solution, diluted with 90 c.c. of water; a 

 few cubic centimeters of the dilute solution give the characteristic 

 bitter taste of nux vomica. One c.c. of this dilution is calculated 

 to contain 0.0000045 gramme of the alkaloids. 



The following test is rather expeditious in obtaining an approxi- 

 mate idea of the quantitative value of nux vomica. One gramme of 

 the powdered drug (calculated to contain 2.25 per cent of alkaloids) 

 is mixed with 10 c.c. of a modified Prollius fluid 1 and allowed to 

 stand, with frequent agitation, from four to twenty-four hours. 

 The solution is then filtered into a small separatory funnel and 5 c.c. 

 of a dilute sulphuric acid (0.5 per cent) added, and after, separation 

 of the aqueous solution the latter is diluted with 5 c.c. of water. 



1 Ether, 60 c.c.; alcohol, 7.5 c.c.; chloroform, 30 c.c.; ammonia, 2.5 c.c. It 

 should be borne in mind in this connection that probably the modified Prollius 

 solution does not extract all the alkaloids in the various drugs equally well. 



