Pharmacology of Indaconitine and Bikhacontine. 469 
papers. Indaconitine therefore contains the acetyl and benzoyl groups 
present in aconitine of European origin, associated with the basic nucleus 
of the Indian pseudaconitine. Its pharmacology as described in the present 
paper corresponds with its chemical relation to these two alkaloids. 
Bikhaconitine closely resembles pseudaconitine, but is chemically distinct 
from it. The alkaloid and its salts crystallise well. Similarly its derivatives 
somewhat resemble those of pseudaconitine, but are distinct substances. On 
partial hydrolysis bikhaconitine furnishes one molecule of acetic acid and 
veratryl-bikhaconine, which on further hydrolysis furnishes one molecule of 
veratric acid and bikhaconine. Bikhaconitine is therefore, chemically, the 
analogue of pseudaconitine, and is also its pharmacological congener. It is 
only slightly inferior in toxic power to pseudaconitine, which is the most 
poisonous aconitine yet examined. 
The examination of the physiological action of indaconitine and bikh- 
aconitine has-been carried out on parallel lines with that of the alkaloids 
aconitine, pseudaconitine, and japaconitine, which have been previously 
discussed.* In each case the hydrobromide was the salt employed. It is 
proposed here to give very briefly, often in form of synopsis, the main results 
arrived at, including the dosage which is associated with a lethal action. 
Indaconitine will be first considered. 
INDACONITINE. 
Liffect wpon Blood-Pressure, Pulse, and Respiration of Anesthetised Animals 
(Cats and Rabbits). 
There is a striking similarity with the effects produced by parallel doses of 
aconitine (from .A. napellus). The phases of slowing of the pulse (with or 
without a slight anterior acceleration) marked quickening, and subsequent 
arhythmia, due to incoordinate action of auricles and ventricles, are all present, 
whilst similar changes in the blood-pressure, culminating in the rapid and 
extensive fluctuations so characteristic of aconitine, are occasioned also by 
indaconitine. Under ether there is little (1/6 to 1/5) or none of the 
primary acceleration of respiration which usually occurs in non-etherised 
animals (see later), but a gradual slowing, and eventually a failure of effective 
respiratory movements is witnessed, this condition speedily leading to a fatal 
issue if vigorous artificial respiration is not employed. 
Vagus section and stimulation have a similar result during the toxic 
conditions occasioned by aconitine and indaconitine respectively, the accele- 
ration of cardiac action, and the more effective systole due to a closer 
* See ‘ Phil. Trans.,’ B, vol. 190, 1898, and abstract in ‘ Proceedings,’ vol. 62 ; ‘ Phil. 
Trans.,’ B, vol. 195, 1903, and abstract in ‘ Proceedings,’ vol. 68. 
