916 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
Alkaloids, one of which Hyoscyamine, is isomeric with Atropiue, and identical 
with Daturine and Duboisine.” Ladenburg distinguishes Hyoscyatnine from 
Atropiue by the melting-points of the alkaloids, and their gold-salts. Profes- 
sor Schmiedeberg of the University of Strassburg says* that Atropine occurs 
in Daturine of the Thorn-apple ; Hyoseyamiue, which is isomeric with Atro- 
pine is also said to be contained in the Thorn apple. But he doubts the 
identity of Duboisine with Hyoscyamine f. llytnock and his collaborateurs 
who have carefully examined the plant, say that Prof. E. Schmidt and Mr. 
Schute have found, as the result of their researches, that the seeds of D. 
stramonium contain much Hyoscyamine, with small quantities of Atropine and 
Hyoscine (Apoth. Ztg., 1890, 511). Stramonine is not mentioned along with 
these. But in Dymock's Ph. Indica it is stated that M. Gerard has prepared a 
new fat acid, Daturic acid, from the seeds, which yield 25 per cent, oil when 
extracted by ether. Purified with petroleum, this oil is of a peculiar 
greenish-yellow colour. M. Gerard places Daturic acid between Palmitic and 
Stearic acids. They have analogous properties. Daturic acid crystallizes by 
cold from 85 per cent, alcohol giving groups of fine needles. It is fairly 
soluble in cold alcohol and very soluble in ether and benzene. * * * 
Dr. Murrell says that according to the old classification the active prin- 
ciples were as follows 
1. Belladonna contained Atropine. 
2. Hyoscyamus— Hyosciamine and Hyoscine. 
8. Stramonium— Daturine. 
II A Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Pages 480—452, London. 
1896. 
“ Ladenburg, ” adds Dr. Murrell, “ has re-investigated the matter and says 
there are only three natural mydriatic alkaloids, * They are as follows : — 
1. Atropine — which occurs in Atropa belladonna, and in Datura stramo- 
nium. (I may add in the Indian Datura, varieties and species of all Datura 
plants. K. R. K.) 
2. Hyosciiamine — which occurs in Belladonna, Datura, Hyoscyamus, and 
Dnboisia myoporoides. 
3. Hyoscine— which occurs in Hyoscyamus. 
Duboisine is identical with Hyoscyamine ; and Daturine is a mixture of 
Atropine and Hyoscyamine. 
N. B.— I am all at sea here, for Sohn, whom I have quoted above, says that 
the Datura stramonium contains Atropine, Hyoscyamine, Hyoscine, and Stra- 
monine. The reader may accept the views of any of the pharmacologists I 
have cited above. 
Dr. Murrell says that Atropine. Hyoscyamine, and Hyoscine are isomeric, 
* Elements of Pharmacology, Dixon’s English Translation. Edinburgh 1887. 
t Pharmacographia Indica, p. 588, Vol. II., 1891, Bombay, by Dymock, 
Warden and Hooper. 
