Am.  Jour.  Pharni.  \ 
Dec.,  1886.  } 
Asiminine. 
587 
above  are  superfluous.  The  precipitate  in  some  respects  behaves 
much  like  that  of  atropine,  but  it  has  a  strong  disposition  to  crystal- 
lize. Notwithstanding  this  fact,  the  precipitate  varies  more  widely  in 
weight  than  in  the  case  of  any  other  alkaloid  with  which  I  have 
made  experiments,  and  that  in  a  most  capricious  manner.  Moreover, 
solutions  prepared  from  fluid  extracts,  etc.,  cannot  be  titrated  satisfac- 
torily with  this  reagent,  the  precipitate  remaining  obstinately  sus- 
pended, and  passing  readily  through  any  paper  filter.  The  results 
are  reported  mainly  as  a  warning  to  others  not  to  attempt  the  im- 
practicable. 
Quebracho  alkaloids  resemble  in  their  behavior  those  of  cinchona 
bark.  Titration  with  Mayer's  reagent  can  only  serve  to  indicate 
roughly  the  comparative  value  of  different  preparations.  Of  course, 
it  does  not  enable  us  at  all  to  discriminate  the  several  alkaloids 
present,  which  differ  widely  in  their  therapeutic  action. 
Strychnine  gives  us  as  satisfactory  a  titration  with  Mayer's  reagent 
as  any  alkaloid  in  the  list.  Unfortunately  it  is  associated  always  in 
the  drugs  which  contain  it  with  other  alkaloids,  whose  behavior  is 
not  so  exemplary.  From  the  completeness  of  its  precipitation,  we 
can  make  use  of  this  alkaloid  in  estimating  excess  of  Mayer's  reagent 
in  the  titration  of  such  alkaloids  as  require  a  large  excess. 
ASIMININE.1 
By  J.  XJ.  Lloyd. 
Process  for  Obtaining  the  Alkaloid. — Extract  the  seeds  of  Asimina 
triloba  (papaw)  with  alcohol ;  evaporate  the  alcohol,  adding  towards 
the  last  water  enough  to  precipitate  the  oils;  acidulate  with  acetic 
acid,  stir  well,  and  after  24  hours  filter.  Ammonia  water  is  cautiously 
added  to  the  filtrate  until  in  slight  excess,  care  being  taken  to  avoid  a 
strong  alkaline  reaction.  The  precipitate  is  collected  and,  while  moist, 
agitated  with  sulphuric  ether  in  successive  portions;  the  ethereal 
layers  are  decanted,  mixed,  evaporated,  and  the  residue  is  dissolved  in 
a  little  alcohol.    To  this  solution,  hydrochloric  acid  in  slight  excess 
1  Advance  proof  from  Drugs  and  Medicines  of  North  America. 
