ACONITINE. 
§ 434-] 
The aconitines and pseudaconitines rotate a ray of polarised light to 
the right; on the other hand the salts, such as the hydrochloride and 
the hydrobromide, are lsevo-rotatory. 
The melting-points and specific rotations of the alkaloids are as 
follows :— 
Melting-point. 
Specific Rotation. 
Aconitine . 
Japaconitine 
Indaconitine 
Pseudaconitine . 
Bikhaconitine 
196°-198° 
204-2° 
202°-203° 
211 °-212° 
113°-116° 
12-32 in alcoholic solution. 
23-36 
18-17 
18-6 
12-21 
The following are the melting-points of the gold salts :— 
Aconitine aurichloride . 
Japaconitine ,, 
Indaconitine ,, 
Pseudaconitine „ 
Bikhaconitine „ 
Melting-point of 
Gold Salts. 
< (a) 135-5° 
1 (6) 152° 
((c) 176° 
f(a) 153° 
1(6) 231° 
147°-152° 
235°-236° 
232°-233° 
. § 434. Aconitine. — B.P. Method for separating the Alkaloid from 
A conite Root .—Into a small stoppered glass percolator (a separating funnel) 
provided with a glass tap, and suitably plugged with cotton-wool, intro¬ 
duce 10 grins, of aconite root in No. 40 powder, and 75 millilitres of alcohol 
(70 per cent.). Macerate for four hours, shaking occasionally. Then 
allow percolation to proceed slowly until the liquid ceases to drop. Con¬ 
tinue the percolation by the addition of more of the same menstruum 
until 150 millilitres have been collected or the root exhausted. Evapo¬ 
rate the percolate to dryness in a shallow porcelain evaporating basin 
at a temperature not exceeding 60°. Dissolve the residue in 5 millilitres 
of N/10 solution of sulphuric acid diluted with 20 millilitres of water. 
Filter into a separating funnel, washing the dish and filter with about 
30 millilitres of water; add to the mixed filtrate and washings 25 millilitres 
of ether and 2 millilitres of solution of ammonia, and shake for one minute. 
After separation, drawoff the lower layer into a flask and filter the ethereal 
solution into a beaker. Return the contents of the flask to the separator, 
add 20 millilitres of ether, and again shake for one minute, separating the 
aqueous liquid and filtering the ethereal solution into a beaker. Repeat 
the operation with two other portions, each of 20 millilitres, of ether. 
Evaporate the mixed ethereal solutions to dryness, dry the residue at 
60°, dissolve it in 5 millilitres of N/20 solution of sulphuric acid diluted 
