790 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Echitamine is obtained from the liquor from which the ditamine has been 

 extracted. On neutralizing this liquor, concentrating it by evaporation, aod 

 then adding hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride, impure echitamine 

 hydrochloride is precipitated. The base isolated from this precipitate, and 

 then purified, crystallizes iu thick vitreous prisms, answering to the formula 

 C 22 H 28 N 3 4 +4H 2 0. When dried in vacuo these part with three molecules 

 of water, leaving a strong base of the formula C 32 H 28 N 4 2 +H s O, or C 2a H 30 

 N 2 5 , which the author calls echitamine hydrate, or echit-ammonium hydro- 

 xide. If in drying the heat be raised to and maintained at 150° C, another 

 molecule of water is given off ; but the anhydrous echitamine thus left is a 

 much weaker base, and is reconverted into the original alkaloid by dissolving 

 it in hydrochloric acid, and decomposing the hydrochloride. In consequence 

 of the decided loss of basic properties accompanying the elimination of the 

 last molecule of water, the author prefers to regard the monohydrated base 

 as the normal form. The latter is a powerful alkaloid ; it neutralizes acids 

 perfectly, and yields well defined crystallizable salts. 



Echitenine. — This base is prepared from the mother liquors of echitamine 

 hydrochloride, by precipitating with mercuric chloride, decomposing the 

 precipitate with sulphuretted hydrogen, and then shaking with chloroform. 

 It exists in the bark to the extent of only 001 per cent. Its composition 

 corresponds to the formula C 20 H* 7 NO 1 . It is markedly bitter, of a brownish 

 colour, and fuses above 120° C. With strong sulphuric acid it forms a reddish- 

 violet, and with nitric acid a purple solution, the latter of which changes to 

 green and ultimateley to yellow. Its salts are amorphous. Tn the author's 

 opinion all these alkaloids belong to one series : 



Ditamine C 16 H 19 NO 2 



? C' 9 H J3 N0 3 



Echitanine C 30 H 2 ' NO 4 



Echitamine Hydrate (Echit-ammonium Hydroxide)... C ,? H S0 N 2 O 5 



(Liebig's Annalen, cciii., 144) in Year-Book of Pharmacy for 1881.) 



(Pharmacographia Indica, Vol. II, pp. 389—391). 



755. Holarrhena antidysenterica, Wall., h.f.b.i., 

 in. 644. 



Syn. : — Echites antidysenterica, Roxb. 245 ; Wrightia antidy- 

 senterica, Graham. 



Sansh : — Kutaja (the bark) and Kalinga (the seeds). Giri- 

 malli ka, Vatsaka (cow tree), Sakra Sakhin (Indra's tree), Sakra- 

 Sana (Indra's food). The tree is fabled to have sprung from the 

 drops of amrita which fell on the ground from the bodies of 

 Rama's monkeys which were restored to life by Indra. (Phar- 

 macographia Indica II, p. 392). 



Vern : — Kureya, kaureya, karra, kaura, kora, karchi, dud hi 

 (Hind.) ; Kurchi (Beng.) ; Pandhra kuda, dowla kiida (Bom.); 



