THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



Vol. XI 



A. Chemical and Geological Sciences 

 AND THE Industries 



NOVEMBER, 1916 



No. 6 



DATURA ALBA ^ 



By Hakvey C. Brill 

 {From the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Bureau of Science, 



Manila, P. I.) 



In connection with a survey of the medicinal plants of the 

 Philippine Islands the Bureau of Science has had occasion to 

 examine the various portions of the plant Datura alba ^ for its 

 alkaloid content and to investigate the effects of drying on its 

 content. 



Table I describes the condition of the material when examined, 

 the methods of drying and extracting, and the results. 



Table I. — Description of material, methods of drying and extracting of 

 Datura alba, and results obtained. 



Description of 

 material. 



Method of drying. 



Method of determining. 



Total 

 alkaloid.a 



Mature seeds 



Do 





According to Autenriethb 



do- 



Per cent. 

 c 0.405 

 c 0.461 



c 0.504 



c 0.561 



0.351 

 0.375 

 0.440 



Washed in water and then 

 dried on a board in the shade. 



Partially dried in shade; fin- 

 ished in large flat dish in 

 sun. 



Partially dried in shade; fin- 

 ished on paper in sun. 



Do 



do 



Do 



do -_-. 



Do 



do 



Green leaves 



Stems 





Modification of Autenrieth 



do 



do. 



» Calculated to dry weight. 

 '' Autenrieth-Warren, Detection of Poisons. 

 4th ed. (1915), 293. 



"= The average of several determinations. 



P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 



* Received for publication September, 1916. 



^ For a discussion of its occurrence and use in the Philippine Islands and 

 references to the literature pertaining to it, see Bacon, This Journal, Sec. A 

 (1906), 1, 1019. 



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