CHEMISTRY OF ALKALOIDS 149 



GLUCO-ALKALOIDS. 



The gluco-alkaloids represent a class of compounds intermediate in con- 

 nection between the alkaloids and glucosides. The achillein found in Yarrow 

 (Achillea millc folium) and solanin in various species of Solanum should be 

 mentioned. The latter substance has, however, been referred to in connection 

 with the alkaloids. 



SAPONINS. 



The Saponins have been treated fully in another connection. They are 

 poisonous and when dissolved in water form solutions which froth. Of these 

 mention may be made of saponin and senegin. 



OTHER VEGETABLE POISONS. 



A third division of poisonous substances includes those which cannot be 

 readily classified and under this head is santonin, a lactone found in the heads of 

 Artemisia sp. A second division of this group is mezereon obtained from 

 Daphne Mesereum. A third group is ergot of rye, containing ecbolin, secalin- 

 toxin, and other substances referred to at length in another connection. 



PICROTOXIN, CICUTOXIN AND TOXINS. 



Picrotoxin is the active principle of the Indian Berry (Cocculus indicus or 

 Menispermum cocculus), which contains the active principle picrotoxinin, picro- 

 tin and menispermin. 



Tutin, a non-nitrogenous glucoside, is obtained from Coriaria sarmen- 

 tosa and other species. Another poison belonging to the picrotoxin class 

 has been isolated from the Japanese Illicium anisatum, a member of the 

 Magnolia Family. The plant is sometimes called the Japanese Star Anise. To 

 this group may also be added cicutoxin obtained from the Cowbane, the oil of 

 savin obtained from the common savin (Juniperus sabina) ; croton oil ex- 

 pressed from the seed of Croton tiglium ; the toxalbumins of castor oil seed and 

 of Abrus; ictrogen from various species of lupines (Lupinus luteus, L. hirsutus, 

 etc.); the toxic substances in the cotton seeds; toxic substances in various 

 species of Lathyrus; the toxic substances in Arum; in the black bryony (Tamus 

 communis) ; the toxalbumin of the black locust; and the poisonous substances 

 of the male shield fern. 



ANIMAL AND PLANT TOXINS. 



Another group of poisonous substances is included under the head of 

 ptomaines and animal toxins. The word ptomaine is used in a rather indefi- 

 nite way, and is open to objection, but the classification given by Blyth as animal 

 toxin is also objectionable. Many of these toxins are the products of bacteria, 

 some of these poisons are, however, the products of higher plants, (as toxin of 

 the black locust, Abrus), etc. The groups given by Blyth are the Amins, under 

 which head we have methylamin, found in the cultures of the Comma bacillus, 

 and the trimethylamin, non-toxic, found in a variety of putrefying substances. 



AMINS. 



The Amins are basic and originate from ammonia; they include the dia- 

 mins, belonging to the amin series, which are formed in putrefactive sub- 

 stances. Of these we have neuridin in putrefying substances; cadaverin, found 



