20 
Emetine  Octoiodide  and  Alkaloids.  { 
Am.  Jour.  Pnarm. 
January,  1899. 
Drug. 
Ouantity 
Taken  for 
Assay 
Grams. 
Iodine 
Consumed  * 
Percentage  of 
Alkaloids. 
Iodo-  Gravi- 
metric, metric. 
(    Iodo-  f 
i 
o'05268i6 
2-52 
Nux 
J  metric  \ 
2  .    .  . 
i 
0-0526725 
2-52 
Vomica 
\  Gravi-  ( 
I   .  . 
i 
Alkaloids  shaken  out 
273 
metricj 
2  .    .  . 
and  weighed. 
273 
f  Iodo-  f  I  . . . 
2'5 
0-0459179 
0-52 
Belladonna 
J  metric  ( 
2  .    .  . 
2*5 
0-0459263 
0-52 
Root 
]  Gravi-  1 
I       .  . 
2'5 
Alkaloids  shaken  out 
0-51 
L  metric  ( 
2   .    .  . 
2'5 
and  weighed. 
0-51 
f   Iodo-  f 
I    .    .  . 
•  5 
0-0478286 
0*27 . 
Belladonna 
J  metric! 
2  .    .  . 
0-0475922 
0-27 
leaves 
j  Gravi-  ] 
% 
Alkaloids  shaken  out 
L  metric  | 
2  .    .  . 
5 
and  weighed. 
0-28 
f   Iodo-  f 
I  .    .  . 
2 
0-0957764 
261 
Ipecac 
j  metric  \ 
2  .    .  . 
2 
0-0986635 
2-69 
Root 
1  Gravi-  f 
I   .    .  . 
2 
Alkaloids  shaken  out 
2-63 
t  metric  \ 
2  .    .  . 
2 
and  weighed. 
2*62 
EMETINE  OCTOIODIDE. 
Emetine  seems  to  form  with  iodine  two  periodides,  according  to 
whether  the  iodine  is  added  to  the  alkaloid,  or  vice  versa,  but  owing 
to  the  lack  of  material  we  have  only  isolated  and  analyzed  one, 
namely  the  higher  periodide.  The  emetine  used  was  obtained 
from  Merck  &  Co.  The  periodide  was  made  by  pouring  200  c.c.  of 
a  solution  of  emetine  in  acidulated  water,  this  solution  containing 
about  y2  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid  into  about  500  c.c.  of  a  solution 
which  contained  about  1  per  cent,  of  iodine  with  \]/2  per  cent,  of 
potassium  iodide,  and  was  strongly  acidulated  by  hydrochloric  acid. 
The  mixture  was  shaken  till  the  supernatant  liquid  became  perfectly 
transparent ;  the  precipitate  was  separated  by  means  of  the  pump, 
quickly  washed  with  cold  water  and  then  dried,  first  on  porous 
plates  and  then  in  vacuum  over  sulphuric  acid. 
Thus  obtained  the  periodide  is  a  dark  brown  powder,  hardly  solu- 
ble in  benzol,  ether  or  chloroform,  quite  soluble  in  alcohol  and  very 
soluble  in  a  mixture  of  4  parts  of  alcohol  and  1  of  chloroform. 
The  chloroform  greatly  increases  the  solubility  of  the  periodide  in 
alcohol,  though  chloroform  alone  hardly  dissolves  it.  So  far  we 
have  not  been  able  to  recrystallize  it.  On  evaporation  of  the  sol- 
vent a  viscous  mass  is  generally  left.  Authorities  differ  with  regard 
to  the  formula  of  emetine,  as  follows : 
Lefort  and  Wurz,14  C28  H40  N2  Os  =  482  98. 
14  Ann.  Chim.  Phys.  (5)  12,  247. 
