404  Notes  on  Aistonia  Constrict  a.  {AmkJu°guri87h9arro' 
to  be  soluble  in  ether.  The  etherial  solution  left  after  evaporation  a  yellow 
amorphous  substance,  of  the  bitter  taste  of  the  bark  intensified,  readily 
soluble  in  alcohol,  chloroform,  diluted  mineral  acids  and  a  solution  of 
potassic  hydrate,  but  sparingly  in  water  ;  all  the  -solutions  are  highly 
fluorescent,  the  blue  color  appearing  by  transmitted  light,  even  in  solu- 
tions largely  diluted.  Concentrated  nitric  acid  dissolves  the  dry  sub- 
stance with  a  deep-red  color,  turning  yellow  when  heated.  These  prop- 
erties and  reactions  are,  in  all  instances,  the  same  as  those  peculiar  to 
alstonina,  the  alkaloid  discovered  by  F.  v.  Mueller  and  Rummel  in  the 
bark  of  Aistonia  constricta,1  and  leave  no  doubt  about  its  identity  with 
that  organic  base. 
In  examining  the  extract  of  the  bark  obtained  by  exhausting  it  with 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid  I  found  another  basic  constituent  present.  By 
treatment  with  ammonia  a  precipitate  was  obtained,  the  largest  part  of 
which  is  insoluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  chloroform.  It  was  placed  on 
a  filter,  well  washed  with  ether  until  the  filtrate  passed  tasteless,  and 
dried  over  sulphuric  acid.  The  etherial  filtrate  evaporated  upon  a 
watch-glass  left  alstonina.  The  undissolved  part  freed  from  that  alka- 
loid is  a  friable  substance,  showing  no  crystallization,  of  a  grayish- 
white  color  (probably  pure  white  when  obtained  in  a  purer  state),  taste- 
less, insoluble  in  alcohol,  to  all  appearances  very  sparingly  soluble  in 
water,  readily  in  diluted  hydrochloric  and  nitric  acid,  forming  colorless, 
not  fluorescent  solutions  of  flat  not  bitter  taste,  yielding  with  ammonia 
and  potassic  hydrate  whitish  precipitates  insoluble  in  an  excess  of  the 
precipitants.  Treated  with  concentrated  sulphuric  and  nitric  acids,  the 
dry  substance  is  dissolved  without  change  of  color.  Want  of  mate- 
rial prevented  me  from  carrying  my  investigation  further  and  from 
deciding  whether  this  basic  substance  must  be  classed  with  the  gluco- 
sides  ;  this  seems  to  be  most  probable,  as  its  solutions  are  not  precipi- 
detated  with  mercurio-potassic  iodide,  platinic  chloride  or  tannic  acid. 
After  informing  Mr.  Lloyd,  early  in  May,  of  these  results,  he  adopted 
ihe  name  of  Aistonia  constricta  for  the  drug. 
Yet,  in  want  of  botanical  evidence  to  justify  myself  to  regard  it  as 
the  product  of  that  plant,  I  sent  a  piece  of  the  bark  to  Sir  Jos.  Hooker,, 
who,  in  his  reply  to  my  inquiries  about  its  botanical  character,  kindly 
informs  me  that  it  is,  "  as  I  supposed,"  the  bark  of  Aistonia  constricta^ 
1Wittstein — The  Organic  Constituents  of  Plants,  etc.  Translation  by.  Baron  F 
v.  Mueller,  Melbourne. 
