POISONOUS GLUCOSIDES. 
455 
§§ 566 - 568 .] 
ether. They dissolve in fatty oils. According to Ernst Sieburg (Arch 
Pharm., 1913), helleborein belongs to the group of saponins. On 
hydrolysis it yields acetic acid, dextrose, arabinose, and two sapoginins 
called “ acid ” and “ neutral ” helleboretin respectively; these are 
closely allied, and possibly contain a terpene-like nucleus. Helleborein 
furnishes an acetyl derivative (C 21 H 29 O 10 Ac 5 ) 3 . Acid helleboretin has 
the formula C 21 H 36 0 7 ; it is not completely soluble in alkali hydroxide 
solutions, and does not decompose carbonates; these properties suggest 
a lactone. 
Helleboretin is in the moist condition of a beautiful violet-blue 
colour, becoming, when dried at 100°, dirty green. Concentrated 
sulphuric acid dissolves it with the production of a brown-yellow colour, 
which on standing passes into violet and then into brown. 
Marine separated from H. fcetidus, in addition, a white, intensely 
odorous substance, but too small in quantity to thoroughly investigate 
its properties. 
§ 566. There is little doubt that hellebore owes its properties to the 
glucosides just described. There are several instances of poisoning by 
hellebore root, 1 and by the pharmaceutical preparations, but none of 
poisoning by the pure active principles. Morgagni mentions a case in 
which 2 grms. (nearly 31 grains) of the watery extract of H. niger caused 
death within eight hours ; and Ferrari saw, after the use of the wine 
in which the root had been boiled, two persons poisoned with a like 
result. A more recent case was recorded by Felletar, in 1875, in which 
a person died from an infusion of hellebore ; there was, however, old- 
standing heart disease, so that there may be a doubt as to the real 
cause of death in this instance. Schauenstein mentions a case in which 
the roots of hellebore were accidentally used in soup, but the bitter 
taste prevented any quantity being eaten. The physiological action, 
especially of helleborein, is that of an intense heart poison, and the 
symptoms produced by the hellebores are so strikingly like those of 
the digitalins that it might be difficult to distinguish clinically between 
them. In any case of poisoning, the active principle must be separated 
in the form of an alcoholic extract, and identified as a heart poison by 
physiological experiment. 
§ 567. Euonymin. —In the last edition of this work it was stated that Schmiede. 
berg had separated a glucoside which was a powerful heart poison from the Euonymus 
atropurpureus ; but Harold Rogerson (Trans. Chem. Soc., 1912), operating on 22-79 
kilograms of the ground bark, could find no evidence of any glucosidic substance. 
Euonymus bark and an extract thereof are official in the British Pharmacopoeia. 
§ 568. Thevetin (C 54 H 48 0 2 ).—A glucoside which has been separated from the 
1 There used to be a tincture official in our Pharmacopoeia ; the root of H. viridis 
is official in the German Pharmacopoeia, maximum single dose, -3 grm. ; maximum 
total quantity in twenty-four hours, 1-2 grm. The tincture is also official on the 
Continent. 
