Amjine!'i893.arm*}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  285 
Corydalis  cava  alkaloids,  extracted  from  the  root  with  alcohol, 
were  capable  of  separation  into  two  groups,  the  stronger  and 
weaker  bases.  Of  the  latter  group  the  greater  portion  was  found 
to  consist  of  corydaline,  well  crystallizable  in  large  prisms  melting 
at  1 350  C.  A  small  quantity  of  a  difficultly  soluble  base  was 
obtained  crystallizable  in  interlaced  needles,  melting  with  decom- 
position at  2 1 8°  C;  it  is  probably  not  identical  with  corycavine  of 
Freund  and  Josephy.  Of  the  stronger  bases  bulbo-capnine  was 
easily  purified  by  taking  advantage  of  the  difficult  solubility  of  the 
hydrochlorate ;  the  alkaloid  melts  at  1990  and  is  distinguished  from 
all  the  accompanying  alkaloids  by  its  solubility  in  an  excess  of 
potassium  hydrate  solution ;  bulbo-capnine  is  the  main  alkaloid,  2\ 
parts  being  present  for  1  part  corydaline.  Second  to  bulbo-capnine 
in  quantity  is  an  amorphous  alkaloid  (also  yielding  an  uncrystalliza- 
ble  hydrochlorate),  corydine,  found  in  the  mother-liquor  from  the 
first  bulbo-capnine  crystallization. — Ibid.,  p.  131-133. 
Hydrastine  bitartrate,  C21H21N06,C4H406  -f  4-H20,  recently  pre- 
pared by  E.  Merck,  crystallizes  in  white  needles,  is  easily  soluble  in 
hot  water,  but  difficultly  soluble  in  cold  water ;  it  is  of  especial 
importance  in  the  purification  of  the  alkaloid,  hydrastine. — Arch, 
der.  Pharm.,  1893,  134. 
Carpaine,  the  alkaloid  discovered  by  Dr.  Greshoff  in  the  leaves  of 
Carica  Papaya,  L.  (Am.  Journ.  Pharm.,  1891,  230)  is  present  in  the 
young  leaves  to  the  extent  of  0-25  per  cent.,  while  in  old  leaves 
only  0-07  per  cent,  is  present.  J.  J.  L.  van  Ryn,  in  operating  with  80 
kilos,  obtained  60  grams  of  the  alkaloid,  which  was  obtained  per- 
fectly colorless  by  recrystallizing  first  from  ether,  later  from  alcohol. 
The  properties,  as  described  in  the  Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1891,  23c, 
were  confirmed,  but  one  correction  being  necessary;  the  crystals 
melt  at  1210  C.  (corr.)  instead  of  1150;  the  alkaloid  turns  red  litmus 
blue,  but  is  indifferent  to  phenolphthalein ;  the  strongest  reagents  were 
apparently  without  action  upon  the  alkaloid.  Sulphuric  acid  and 
bichromate  of  potassium  gave  a  green  coloration,  but  the  acidified 
alkaloidal  solution  with  a  drop  of  potassium  permanganate  solution 
retained  the  red  color  for  several  hours.  Carpaine  has  the  composi- 
tion, C14H25N02;  the  platinochloride,  (C14H25N02HCl)2PtCl4 ;  the 
aurochloride,  (^H^NO.^HCl.AuCL^  -f  5  H20;  the  halogen  salts 
decrease  in  solubility  in  the  order   in  which    they  are  given : 
