N. 0. SOLANACE.E. 905 



" The plant is very common along the shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean, where it has always been reputed to be hypnotic. The 

 properties of W. somnifera have recently been investigated by 

 Dr. Trebut with regard to its reputation for hypnotic proper- 

 ties ; he states that he has obtained an alkaloid from it which 

 has hypnotic action and does not produce mydriases. P. L. 

 Simmonds (Amer. Journ. Pharm., Feb., 1891) states that the 

 plant is employed at the Civil Hospital. Alger, as a sedative and 

 hypnotic." Pharmacographia Indica, II. 567). 



In the Punjab, used for lumber pains and considered aphro- 

 disiac. In Sind, used to cause abortion. 



The seeds act as diuretic and hypnotic (Irvine). The late 

 Dr. Burton Brown of Lahore recorded a fatal case of poisoning 

 by the seeds of this plant. Rajputs regard the root as useful in 

 rheumatism and dyspepsia. 



Dr. Lai Mohan Ghosal concludes his paper on the Physic- 

 logical Study of the properties of this drug as follows : — 



1. The drug has two principles— one a bitter crystalline 

 principle and the other an alkaloidal body. 



2. The drug has got a sedative action on the nerves ; the 

 sedative effect is probably due to the action of the bitter prin- 

 ciple which when injected into a guineapig caused a sort of 

 sedative action. This is also verified by the convulsion and 

 coma caused by the injection of the alkaloid. 



3. The drug although acts as a sedative has got no de- 

 pressant action on the heart at the same time. (Food and Drugs, 

 Vol. I. p. 127). 



Messrs. F. B. Power and A. H. Sal way summarize the 

 results of their analysis of this drug as follows : — 



Preliminary tests, conducted with both portions of the plant, indicated the 

 presence of an alkaloid. 



I. Constituents of the Root. — An alcoholic extract of the root, when 

 distilled with steam, yielded a very small amount of an essential oil. The 

 portion of the extract which was soluble in water contained, besides indefinite, 

 amorphous substances, a quantity of sugar, which yielded d-phenylglucosazone 

 (m. p. 210°). 



The portion of the extract which was insoluble in water consisted chiefly 

 of a black resin, and amounted to about 27 per cent, of the weight of the root, 

 From this resin the following definite substances were isolated: hentriacon- 

 tane, C 3x H 64: ; a phytosterol, C 27 H 4(5 0, (m. p. 135-136°); a mixture of fatty 



114 



