Am.  Jour  .  Pharm.  > 
Mar.  1, 1874.  S 
Ricinus  Communis 
99 
The  fused  mass,  upon  cooling,  forms  a  mass  having  a  radiated 
crystalline  appearance.    It  is  soluble  in  alcohol  and  water. 
Taste  bitter,  resembling  that  of  wild  cherry  bark  when  chewed. 
From  the  above  behavior  with  reagents  and  its  crystalline  form,  it  is 
evident  that  the  substance  obtained  from  the  leaves  is  identical  with 
that  obtained  by  Prof.  Tuson  from  castor  seeds,  and  named  by  him 
Ricinin.* 
From  experiments  made  with  the  substance  from  the  leaves,  it  is 
evident  that  it  has  no  claims  to  be  called  an  alkaloid,  as  it  has  no 
action  on  litmus  paper,  and  solution  of  iodohydrargyrate  of  potas- 
sium gives  no  precipitate  with  it.  Yet  it  contains  nitrogen,  as  proven 
by  the  production  of  ammonia  when  heated  with  potash. 
All  of  the  tests  made  with  the  substance  from  the  leaves  compare 
with  those  of  Ricinin  from  seeds. 
The  analysis  of  the  plant  is  an  interesting  one,  showing  that  a  pe- 
culiar proximate  principle  exists  in  all  parts  of  it,  the  same  as  found 
in  the  seeds.  Also  that  the  leaves  contain  a  large  percentage  of  ni- 
trate of  potassium,  and  in  this  respect  equal  to  that  of  tobacco. 
An  analysis  of  the  ash  of  the  leaves  shows  that  they  are  very  rich, 
both  in  alkalies  and  phosphoric  acid. 
500  grains  of  the  leaves  were  incinerated,  which  required  some 
manipulation,  as  the  ash  was  found  to  be  readily  fusible,  and  perfect 
combustion  consequently  impossible  ;  but  by  charring  the  mass  only, 
and  then  dissolving  out  the  soluble  portion  with  water,  combustion  was 
accomplished.    120  grains  of  ash  —  21  per  cent.,  was  obtained,  the 
analysis  of  which  gave  the  following  results  : — 
Lime,       ......  33-40 
Magnesia,       .....  6*20 
Potash,     ......  27-15 
Soda,  ......  2-12 
Peroxide  of  iron,  .....  .70 
Phosphoric  acid,         ....  6-68 
Sulphuric  acid,     .....  2*90 
Chlorine,         .....  1-63 
Carbonic  acid,      .....  16-20 
Silica  and  sand,          ....  2'41 
Loss,        ......  -61 
*  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  18(54,  p.  423.  100  00 
