AN  ALKALOID  IN  LYCIUM  BARBARUM. 
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AN  ALKALOID  IN  LYCIUM  BAEBAKUM,  L.  (SOLANACE^E). 
By  Drs.  Husemann  and  W.  Marme.* 
The  fact  that  nearly  every  genus  of  the  family  of  Solanacese 
is  known  to  yield  a  peculiar  alkaloid,  led  us  to  examine  with 
this  view  a  plant  very  generally  cultivated  for  ornamental  pur- 
poses, and  as  a  shading  climber,  and  in  many  instances  found 
growing  spontaneous, — Lycium  barbarum — the  matrimony  vine. 
Prominent  physiological  effects  have  so  far  not  been  ascribed  to 
this  or  other  species  of  Lycium,  and  only  very  moderate  use  is 
made  of  them  in  medicine.  The  fruit  and  leaves  of  L.  Chinense, 
Mill.,  which  is  closely  allied  to  L.  barbarum,  have  been  em- 
ployed for  various  affections  in  the  form  of  infusion  ;  the  leaves 
of  L.  umbrosum  are  used  in  Columbia  in  rash.  The  young 
shoots  of  L.  Uuropceum  are  known  to  exert  some  action  on  alvine 
and  urinary  discharges,  while  the  leaves  of  L.  afrum  are  now 
and  then  given  for  erysipelas  and  lichens.  The  young  leaves 
and  tops  of  the  latter  species  are  even  eaten  as  a  kind  of  salad  in 
Spain,  and  the  berries  of  L.  humile  are  likewise  consumed  in  Chili. 
We  have  examined  the  leaves  and  stalks  of  L.  barbarum, 
each  separately.  Having  commenced  with,  and  used  in  succes- 
sion, all  known  methods  for  eliminating  volatile,  as  well  as  non- 
volatile, vegetable  bases,  but  without  arriving  at  any  positive 
result,  we  took  up  as  a  last  resource  the  process  introduced  by 
Sonnenschein  (American  Journ.  Pharm.  vol.  xxx.  p.  550) 
for  the  separation  of  poisonous  alkaloids  from  human  remains  in 
forensic  cases,  and  which  is  founded  on  their  precipitation  by 
means  of  phosphomolybdate  of  soda.  With  the  aid  of  this  rea- 
gent we  succeeded  in  extracting  both  from  the  leaves  and  stalks 
a  solid  base,  possessing  all  essential  properties  of  the  alkaloids, 
and  which  we  have  named  lycina  (lycin).  It  differs  from  all 
known  solid  vegetable  bases  by  the  remarkable  readiness  with 
which  it  dissolves,  so  as  to  deliquesce  within  a  few  minutes  when 
exposed  to  the  air  ;  this  fact  explains  the  difficulties  we  met 
with  in  its  extraction  by  any  other  method. 
The  largest  yield  was  obtained  from  the  leaves  ;  owing  to  the 
preponderance  of  the  woody  portion  the  product  extracted  from 
the  stalks  was  much  less,  though  the  liber  must  be  considered  to 
*  Translated  for  this  Journal  by  Prof.  Mayer,  of  New  York. 
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