A,njunUer;iP89rm-}        Root  of  Phytolacca  Decandra.  283 
of  potassium  and  with  iodine  solutions  indicated  the  probable  pres- 
ence of  an  alkaloid. 
W.  Cramer9  found  the  juice  of  the  berries  to  contain  gum,  sugar, 
malic  acid  and  coloring  matters 
An  elaborate  investigation  of  the  root  was  made  by  Edmond 
Preston,  Jr.10  He  found  traces  of  hydrochloric,  phosphoric  and  sul- 
phuric acids,  with  5-5  per  cent,  of  potassium  hydroxide.  A  small 
amount  of  free  acid  was  found ;  this  had  the  characteristic  odor  of 
the  root ;  its  potassium  salt  was  decomposed  with  effervescence  on 
treatment  with  acids.  From  the  purified  aqueous  extract  of  the 
root  there  was  obtained  a  small  quantity  of  nearly  white  crystals, 
which  in  solution  gave  precipitates  with  the  usual  alkaloidal  rea- 
gents. The  crystals  were  entirely  dissipated  when  heated  on  plat- 
inum foil,  and  when  treated  with  strong  mineral  acids  simply  dis- 
solved, giving  no  characteristic  color  test.  "An  alcoholic  solution 
of  the  crystals  neutralized  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  on  concen- 
tration yielded  nearly  colorless  acicular  crystals,  moderately  soluble 
in  alcohol,  quite  soluble  in  water  and  possessing  a  strong,  acrid 
taste."  It  was  concluded  that  the  crystals  were  those  of  an  alka- 
loid and  of  its  hydrochloride.  For  this  alkaloid  the  name  "  phyto- 
laccine  "  was  proposed. 
Coscera11  found  that  tender  shoots  and  leaves  show  slight,  and 
the  roots  more,  toxic  qualities.  The  same  parts  of  the  plant,  at  time 
of  fruiting,  have  a  marked  emetic  and  purgative  action.  He 
obtained  what  he  considered  a  glucoside  by  the  following  means  : 
The  root  was  extracted  by  90  per  cent,  alcohol ;  the  filtrate,  on 
cooling,  showed  the  substance  as  a  white  powder,  insoluble  in 
ether,  scarcely  in  absolute  alcohol,  somewhat  in  50  per  cent,  alcohol, 
readily  in  water.  It  was  also  soluble  in  dilute  acids.  The  substance 
reduced  alkaline  copper  sulphate  only  after  heating  with  dilute  sul- 
phuric acid. 
In  an  alcoholic  extract  of  the  root  "  a  few  crystals  "  were  found  by 
Partee,12  but  these  were  not  investigated.    He  also  obtained  some 
^Cramer,  Walter.    Phytolacca  Baccse.   Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  53,  598,  1881. 
™  Preston,  Edmond,  Jr.  The  Root  of  Phytolacca  Decandra,  Linne.  Am.  Jour. 
Pharm.,  56,  567,  1884. 
n  Coscera,  N.  Beitrage  zur  chemische-toxische-Kenttiiss  von  Phytolacca 
Decandra.  %f  Review  in  Chem.  Centrbl.,  pp.  576,  643,  808,  1887. 
u Partee,  Wm.  A.  Analysis  of  Poke  Root.  Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  go,  123, 
1888. 
