N. 0. 0RU0IFE RjE. 
The physiological action of Cheiranthin resembles that 
of the digitalis compounds. 
Cheirinine, C 13 H 3S 0 17 N 3 , obtained from the alcoholic extract of the 
seeds of the wall-flower, crystallises in small, colourless needles, melts 
at 78— 74°, and is soluble in warm water, alcohol, ether, chloroform, or ethy- 
laeetate. The aqueous solution is neutral and gives precipitates with 
the ordinary alkaloidal reagents. The physiological action of cheirinine 
resembles that of quinine. 
The seeds also contain choline. J. Ch. S. LXXV1II. pt. I. (1900) p. 186. 
72 . Nasturtium officinale, R. Br. h.f.b.i., 
i . 133 . 
Eng. : — The Water-cress. 
Ver. : — Piriya halim (Kumaon). 
Habitat : — Rohilkhand, Punjab (N. India). Found near all 
hill-stations, but probably introduced. Simla in ditches. Ceylon, 
found naturalized at Kandy (Trimen). 
An aquatic. Stem creeping and floating, much branched. 
Leaves pinnate, the upper with 3-7 pinules and a terminal one, 
the lower cut into 3 repand segments. Flowers white, in short 
racemes. Petals longer than the sepals. Pods | — 1 in., stalked, 
spreading or bent upward ; seeds small, 2-seriate. 
Use : -^Used as a salad, on account of its appetizing and 
anti-scorbutic properties. 
The essential oil consists chiefly of phenylethylenethiocarbimide, C e H s . 
CH 2 .CH 2 .N: CS, which was identified by converting it into the thiocarbamide. 
The glucoside from which these are derived, is named ‘ gluconasturtiin,’ and 
is regarded as having the constitution — 
CH 7 Ph.CH 7 .N.C(S.C 6 H u 0.).0.S0 3 K+.i-H 7 0, but could only be obtained as 
a syrup ; by decomposition with silver nitrate, it gives ‘silver nasturtiate,' 
CH 2 Ph.CHj.N:C(SA B ).O.S0 3 A g -(-2H 2 0, - which also forms a crystalline 
compound with 2NH 3 , but loses this at ordinary temperatures. 
When acted on by sodium thiosulphate, silver nasturtiate gives a clear 
solution which probably contains the sodium salt, but soon decomposes into 
sodium sulphate and the thiocarbamide, which can then be extracted with 
ether. J. Ch. S. 1899 A I. 930. 
From this plant phenylethylthiocarbimide, CH 2 Ph.CH.NCS is obtained. 
Silver nasturtiate is soluble in ammonia in the presence of ammonium 
nitrate, but is precipitated by nitric acid, and is decomposed by sodium 
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