ALKALOIDS OF THE VERATRUMS. 
§ 483-] 
411 
first a green colour which darkens into, olive-green, then becomes dirty 
green, and finally dark brown. When warmed with strong sulphuric, 
hydrochloric, or phosphoric acids, there is a strong odour of isobutyric 
acid developed. Dilute solutions of the salts are precipitated by ammonia, 
Nessler’s reagent, gold chloride, potassium mercury iodide, cadmium 
iodide, phosphotungstic acid, and picric acid ; no precipitate is produced 
by tannin, platinum chloride, or mercuric chloride. 
§ 483. Veratridine (C 37 H 5 3 NO n ) is an amorphous alkaloid, which is 
a powerful irritant of the sensory nerves of the mucous membrane, and 
excites violent sneezing. Treated with concentrated sulphuric acid, it 
dissolves with a yellow colour, deepening into orange, then into blood- 
red, and finally passing into carmine-red. If the freshly prepared sul¬ 
phuric acid solution is now treated with bromine water, a beautiful 
purple colour is produced. Concentrated hydrochloric acid dissolves 
veratridine without the production of colour, but with careful warming 
it becomes beautifully red. This reaction is very delicate, occurring 
with *17 mgrm. On saponification veratridine yields verine, C 28 H 45 N0 8 , 
and veratric acid, C 9 H 10 O 4 . 
Veratric acid, dimethylether of protocatechuic acid, has the constitu¬ 
tional formula, 
CH 3 0 / x COOH 
CH 3 0 
Veratric acid forms colourless needles and four-sided prisms, which have 
a marked acid reaction ; it melts at 180° to a colourless fluid, and 
sublimes without decomposition ; it is easily soluble in hot alcohol, but 
insoluble in ether. If dissolved in nitric acid, water separates nitro- 
veratric acid, C 9 H 9 (N0 2 )0 4 , which crystallises out of alcohol in small 
yellow scales. Veratric acid unites with bases forming crystalline salts ; 
the silver salt has the composition of C 9 H 9 Ag0 4 = 37-37 per cent, silver, 
and may assist in identification. It is crystalline, with a melting-point 
of 205° to 206°. 
Cevadine, or crystalline veratrine, C 32 H 49 N0 9 .—It has powerful 
sternutatory properties, and, under the influence of alcoholic potash, 
yields tiglic 1 acid and cevine, C 27 H 43 N0 8 . 
According to Ahrens, angelic acid is first formed, and then converted 
into tiglic acid. When the alkaloid is boiled with hydrochloric acid, 
tiglic acid is formed, and a ruby-red mass. Nitric acid oxidises cevadine 
completely; with potassic permanganate it yields acetic and oxalic 
acids ; with chromic acid it forms acetaldehyde and carbon dioxide. 2 
1 Tiglic acid, C 6 H 8 0 2 , is a volatile acid, m.p. 64°, boiling-point 198-5° ; it forms 
a soluble barium salt, and an insoluble silver salt. 
2 Ber.y xxiii. 2700-2707. 
