THE ALKALOID FROM PITURIE. 125 
following account of the alkaloid obtained by him from piturie, 
which is the substance of a paper of his read before the Apothe- 
caries’ Society of Vienna :— 
“For the preparation of piturine and pituric acid the branchlets 
and leaves of Duboisia Hopwoodit, F. v. M., were subjected to 
exhaustion by boiling water, the infusion evaporated to hone 
thickness, then mixed with three volumes of alcohol, the resulting 
anal 1 
in water and precipitated by basic acetate of lead. The precipitate 
Separated by filtration, contained a peculiar acid substance, while 
the filtrate, after sufficient concentration and after mixing with an 
excess of caustic soda solution and ether, yielded to the latter the 
alkaloid which was purified by agitating its etherous solution with 
diluted sulphuric acid, thereby forming the sulphate of piturine. 
The aqueous solution of the latter was then again decomposed b 
caustic soda, the pure alkaloid removed by ether, and the solution 
evaporated at a gentle heat. It formed a brownish liquid of oil 
like thickness, heavier than water, of acrid and burning taste and 
acco odour, much affecting the organs of sight and respiration. 
Tt is volatile and forms fogs with diluted hydrochloric acid, is of 
alkaline reaction, and combines thoroughly with acids. 
precipitate is easily dissolved in an excess of this reagent. Piturine 
mixes with every proportion of water, alcohol, and ether. Con- 
solves to a brownish green liquid. The yield was about 1 
per cent. of alkaloid from the dried plant. 
“ Piturine is in some respects allied to nicotine, but more closely 
akin tothe duboisine of Duboisi myoporoides (R. Br.), the latter 
being of lighter colour, of bitter not acrid taste, of fainter odour, 
SS Irritating to the eyes and respiratory passages; its hydrochloride 
11 solution is not precipitated by chloride of platinum, but is so 
solved bya superabundance of that ent. 
A. Ladenburg, Comptes Rendus, 1880, vol. 90, p. 874-876, how- 
ar States that the alkaloid of Duboisia myoporoides is identi 
oe a brillian: y r th gol , fusing 
159°C. Also when treated with baryta it is converted into 
‘ropine and tropicacid, both of eee Iso obtained fr tropine 
1 Metatungstate of soda. 
