IOO 
Kola  and  Kolamn. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharrr. 
I    Februarj',  1896, 
Several  observers  have  noted  that  the  red  nuts  give  a  larger  per- 
centage of  moisture  (Heckel  gives  46  per  cent,  for  white,  56  per 
cent,  for  red).  The  same  author  claims  that  the  white  seeds  con- 
tain 5  per  cent,  more  caffeine,  7  per  cent,  more  of  the  peculiar  prin- 
ciple, kolanin,  than  the  red.  My  own  experiments  tend  to  confirm 
the  observation  that  there  is  an  appreciable  difference  in  the  amount 
ofglucoside  found  in  the  white  seed  as  against  that  found  in  the  red. 
ALKALOIDS. 
The  alkaloids  so  far  identified  as  belonging  to  this  plant  are  such 
familiar  substances  that  any  comment  upon  them  is  unnecessary. 
Worthy  of  note,  however,  is  the  fact  of  their  close  relationship  to 
each  other  in  chemical  formula  and  structure.  Also,  that  they  are 
analogous  and  apparently  identical  with  the  alkaloids  found  in  all 
the  caffeic  group  of  plants ;  that  they  are  closely  related  chemically 
and  physiologically  with  the  xanthine  bodies,  which  are  found  nor- 
mally in  the  muscular  and  other  tissues,  such  as  the  liver,  spleen, 
brain  substances,  etc.,  of  the  animal  body.  These  xanthine  bodies 
are  typical  products  of  the  downward  destructive  metabolism  of  pro- 
teids.  Similarly,  the  alkaloids  of  this  plant  seem  to  form  when  the 
seed  is  on  its  way  toward  removal  from  the  tree. 
Xanthine  C5H4N402.  Theobromine  C7H8N402. 
Para-xanthine  C7H8N402.  (Dimethyl -xanthine.) 
(Dimethyl-xanthine. )  Caffeine  C8H10N4O2. 
(Trimethyl-xanthine. ) 
Caffeine,  as  theine,  was  roughly  identified  as  present  in  these  nuts 
by  Dr.  Daniells,  and  confirmed  by  Attfield,  in  1865,  who  gave  the 
percentage  in  the  samples  examined  as  2-13.  The  second  alkaloid, 
theobromine  present  in  quite  small  quantities,  was  separated  later. 
Numerous  assays  of  the  drug  show  greatly  varying  amounts  of  these 
alkaloids.  A  quite  recent  assay  of  the  carefully  prepared  powder  is 
as  follows: 
ASSAY  OF  SAMPLE  OF  DRIED  KOI,A,  BY  WENT  WORTH  EASCELEES  SCOTT, 
CHEMICAE  AND  MICROSCOPICAL  ANALYST,  LONDON. 
Calculated  upon  the  Substance  Free  from  Hygroscopic  Moisture. 
Caffeine  (or  theine)    .  ,   3-202 
Theobromine   '214 
Other  alkaloids   '065 
Kola  red  and  kola  orange   3*874 
Fatty  matter   1*142 
Ash   3 '955 
