298 
Specimens  of  Aconitine. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharrti^ 
June,  1893. 
total  alkaloids  of  Aconitum  Napellus,  by  means  of  which  it  was 
possible  to  ascertain  the  presence  of  aconitine  and  isaconitine,  and 
also  of  aconine  and  homisaconitine  (homonapelline),  as  well  as  to 
form  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  proportion  of  crystalline 
aconitine  to  that  of  the  amorphous  alkaloids.  In  several  instances 
the  amount  of  aconitine  present  was  too  small  to  allow  of  its  isolation 
either  as  crystalline  base  or.crystalline  salt.  When  this  was  the  case, 
the  presence  or  absence  of  aconitine  was  ascertained  by  observing 
whether  a  dilute  solution  of  the  mixed  salts  produced  the  character- 
istic tingling  sensation  on  the  tongue.  The  difficulty  of  separating 
the  alkaloids  has  often  been  great,  owing  to  the  small  amount  of 
some  of  the  specimens. 
The  results  are  as  follows : 
(1)  "  Aconitine,  Pure  "  (German) — A  yellowish-white,  amorphous 
powder  which  melted  indefinitely  near  1070.  When  dissolved  in 
dilute  hydrobromic  acid,  it  furnished  a  highly  colored  solution. 
From  this  liquid,  pure  isaconitine  salt  was  eventually  obtained,  in 
amount  corresponding  with  the  presence  of  about  20  per  cent,  of 
the  alkaloid  in  the  original  substance.  Aconitine  was  present  only 
in  relatively  small  quantity,  and  it  was  not  found  possible  to  isolate 
it.    Aconine,  and  apparently  homisaconitine,  were  also  present. 
(2)  "  Aconitine,  Crystallized  "  (French). — A  white,  crystalline 
powder  melting  near  1870.  It  completely  dissolved  in  cold  water, 
and  proved  to  be  the  nitrate  of  an  alkaloid,  not  the  base  itself. 
The  alkaloid  was  regenerated  and  dealt  with  in  the  usual  manner.  A 
considerable  quantity  of  pure  aconitine  hydrobromide  was  obtained, 
and  from  this,  pure  crystalline  aconitine  (m.  p.  188-1890)  was  pre- 
pared. A  smaller  quantity  of  isaconitine  hydrochloride  was  isolated, 
whilst  other  amorphous  bases  (aconine,  homisaconitine,  etc.)  were 
observed  in  small  quantity.  The  nitrate,  of  which  the  original  sub- 
stance was  composed,  contained  about  70  per  cent,  of  aconitine  salt. 
(3)  "  Aconitine,  Pure"  (English). — A  yellowish-white,  amorphous 
substance  melting  indistinctly  near  88°.  Its  solution  in  dilute 
hydrobromic  acid  was  highly  colored.  A  considerable  quantity  of 
alkaloid  soluble  in  ether  was  isolated  ;  this  was  chiefly  isaconitine. 
No  crystalline  aconitine  salt  could  be  isolated  from  the  small  quantity 
of  material  at  our  disposal.  The  physiological  action  of  the  acid 
solution  indicated  that  a  small  quantity  of  this  alkaloid  was  present, 
but  the  specimen  was  chiefly  composed  of  amorphous  bases. 
