192 
Alkaloids  of  the  Areca  Nut. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t      April,  1889. 
consisting  of  microscopic  crystals  (a  delicate  reaction),  and  with  phos- 
phomolybdic  acid  a  white  precipitate.  Potassium-mercury  iodide 
throws  down  from  solutions  not  too  dilute  yellow  oily  drops,  which 
after  several  days  solidify  and  crystallize;  solution  of  iodine  throws 
down  brown  drops,  and  picric  acid,  a  resinous  precipitate  that  after- 
wards crystallizes  in  needles.  Gold  chloride  also  throws  down  oily 
drops,  which,  however,  do  not  solidify.  Platinic  chloride,  mercuric 
chloride,  and  tannic  acid  give  no  precipitate. 
Arecoline  hydrobromide  (C8H13N02'HBr)  crystallizes  best  of  the 
simple  salts.  It  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  and  in  hot — but  less  freely 
in  cold — alcohol ;  from  an  alcoholic  solution  it  crystallizes  in  fine 
anhydrous  prisms.  The  salt  is  permanent  in  air,  not  hygroscopic, 
and  melts  at  167°  to  168°  C. 
Arecoline  hydrochlorate  crystallizes  from  a  syrupy  solution  in  fine 
needles,  which  deliquesce  upon  exposure  to  air.  It  is  freely  soluble 
in  alcohol,  as  well  as  in  ether-alcohol.  It  behaves  similarly  to  sul- 
phate, acetate,  and  nitrate. 
Arecoline  platinochloride  (C8H13N02HC1)2'P1C14)  is  precipitated  in 
glutinous  flocks  upon  the  addition  of  ether  to  mixed  alcoholic  solu- 
tions of  arecoline  hydrochloride  and  platinic  chloride.  After  being 
washed  with  ether-alcohol  and  dissolved  in  water,  it  crystallizes  from 
this  solution  upon  standing  over  sulphuric  acid  in  handsome  well- 
formed  rhombic  orange-red  anhydrous  crystals,  melting  with  frothing 
at  176°  C.  With  cadmium  chloride  arecoline  hydrochloride  appears 
to  form  several  crystalline  double  salts,  readily  soluble  in  water  and 
difficultly  soluble  in  alcohol. 
Without  doubt,  arecoline  is  the  physiologically  active  constit- 
uent of  the  areca  nut,  and  the  one  upon  which  its  action  against  tape- 
worm is  deperfdent.  It  appears  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  its  com- 
position and  properties,  to  stand  near  to  pelletierine,  one  of  the  alka- 
loids of  pomegranate  root  bark,  which  is  also  liquid  and  volatile,  and 
has  a  composition,  according  to  Tanret,  corresponding  to  the  formula 
C8H15NO. 
Arecaine  (C7HnN02*H20),  purified  by  repeated  crystallizations 
from  60  per  cent,  alcohol,  forms  colorless  crystals,  permanent  in  the 
air,  freely  soluble  in  water  and  in  dilute  alcohol,  less  soluble  in 
stronger  and  nearly  insoluble  in  absolute  alcohol,  by  which  it  is 
dehydrated.  It  is  also  insoluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and  benzol. 
The  aqueous  solution  is  neutral  in  reaction  and  has  a  slightly  percepti- 
