158 
Active  Principle  of  Ergot. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I       April,  1911. 
caused  bluing  of  the  cock's  comb,  while  the  residue  was  inactive  in 
this  respect.  At  times  it  seemed  as  if  the  ether-shaking  was  more 
active  than  the  original  fluid  extract  which  was  used.  This  extract 
would  induce  a  marked  rise  in  blood  pressure  in  dogs  with  cut  vagi. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  besides  the  alkaloids  other  bodies,  such 
as  basic  amines,  which  might  contribute  to  its  pressor  activity,  go 
into  this  ether.  As  there  is  probably  more  than  one  body  in  this 
shaking  it  seems  at  present  unsafe  to  trust  this  method  alone.  How- 
ever, Keller's  method  is  a  safe  one  for  determining  the  amount  of 
bases  present,  or  at  least  the  ether-soluble  bases. 
Schaerges  states  that  Keller's  cornutin  is  not  present  in  ergot 
as  such,  but  as  ergotinine.  Barger  and  Dale  believe  this  cornutin  to 
be  a  mixture  of  ergotinine  with  25  per  cent,  ergotoxine.  Keller's 
preparation  is  on  the  Swiss  market  under  the  name  "  Secornin." 
The  next  important  step  was  undertaken  by  Jacob j.^^  He  first 
removed  from  ergot,  by  means  of  petroleum  ether  as  much  of  the 
oil  as  possible,  and  then  extracted  the  active  principle  with 
ether.  After  this  extraction  the  ergot  caused  no  bluing  of  the  cock's 
comb.  The  ether  was  precipitated  by  means  of  petroleum  ether  and 
the  precipitate  was  redissolved  in  ether  and  afterwards  fractionally 
precipitated  by  petroleum  ether.  When  dissolved  in  sodium  hydrate, 
0.1  gm.  of  this  precipitate,  which  contained  no  nitrogen,  caused 
bluing  of  the  cock's  comb  and  did  not  produce  convulsions,  while 
a  similar  injection  of  from  0.1-0.2  gm.  induced  regular  normal 
uterine  contractions  with  abortion  in  pregnant  animals,  unassociated 
with  any  toxic  effects,  either  to  the  mother  or  to  the  young.  In 
some  animals,  such  as  cats,  its  intravenous  injection  was  followed 
by  a  rise  in  blood  pressure,  but  usually  this  action  was  not  marked. 
In  these  cases  the  vagi  were  uncut  and  the  central  nervous  system 
was  intact.  However,  if  the  spinal  cord  was  cut,  Jacobj  noted  a 
rise  after  such  an  injection.  The  preparation  was  named  chrysotoxin 
fC^^HooOr,).  This  yellowish  brown  body  is  soluble  in  ether,  chloro- 
form, benzol,  alcohol  and  caustic  alkalies,  but  insoluble  in  water  and 
in  dilute  acids.  Under  the  influence  of  an  excess  of  alkali  it  is 
trcnsformed  into  ergochrysinic  acid  which  is  inactive.  However, 
an  active  combination  of  chrysotoxin  with  sodium  can  be  obtained 
b;/  precipitating  its  ethereal  solution  with  an  absolute  alcoholic 
solution  of  sodium  hydrate,  but  in  this  case  an  excess  of  alkali 
is  to  be  avoided.  This  combination  is  known  as  spasmotin.  Accord- 
ing to  Dale,  chrysotoxin  contains  about  90  per  cent,  impurities. 
