144 
The  Study  of  Drugs. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
March,  19 19. 
The  things  which  a  pharmacist  ought  to  know  about  belladonna 
are  delineated  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  the  Dispensatories,  and  I 
advise  even'  young  pharmacist  to  read  carefully  what  these  have 
to  say  about  belladonna.  The  history  of  the  drug  is  a  most  in- 
teresting study  from  every  point  of  view.  It  would  .take  too  long 
to  attempt  to  describe  here  the  chemical,  pharmaceutical  and  physio- 
logical properties  of  this  drug.  It  has  a  stated  action.  It  is  an 
anodyne,  anti-spasmodic,  stimulant,  anti-sudorific  and  mydriatic.  It 
has  effects,  peculiarly  its  own,  on  the  nervous  system,  the  respiratory 
system,  the  glandular  system  and  the  secretive  system,  and  this 
action  exists  when  taken  internally,  as  a  drug,  or  applied  as  a 
plaster. 
As  pharmacists  we  are  most  interested  in  its  active  principle 
What  is  the  active  principle  of  belladonna?  The  usual  answer  is 
"  atropine."  Is  this  the  correct  answer  ?  Investigation  has  shown 
that  atropine  does  not  exist  in  cultivated  belladonna,  nor  indeed  in 
belladonna  when  carefully  handled  and  dried.  Atropine  is  a 
product,  or  a  derivative,  produced  during  the  manipulation  of  the 
drug.  In  assaying  belladonna  in  the  laboratory  atropine  is  pro- 
duced during  the  process,  and, is  taken  as  the  standard  for  estimat- 
ing the  alkaloidal  value  of  the  drug.  Here  is  a  table  showing  the 
various  constituents  which  have  been  found  in  belladonna  by  various 
observers. 
Constituents  of  Belladonna. — Atropine,  hyosyamine,  belladon- 
nine,  atropamine,  apoatropine,  starch,  malic  acid,  chrysatropic  acid, 
lexatropic  acid,  succinic  acid,  prendatorine,  phyteumscolla,  atrosine, 
chlorophyl,  potassium  salts,  magnesium  salts,  calcium  salts,  sodium 
salts,  ammonium  salts,  acetic  acid,  gums,  resins,  mucilage,  aspara- 
gin,  albumin,  etc.  This  is  quite  an  array.  Certainly  there  is  some- 
thing present  in  belladonna  besides  atropine. 
There  are  four  or  five  alkaloidal  bodies  associated  or  combined ' 
with  numerous  other  constituents,  all  of  which  in  some  measure 
make  up  the  physiological  and  therapeutic  action  of  belladonna.  It 
may  be  stated  with  confidence  that  neither  a  solution  of  atropine, 
nor  the  salts  of  atropine,  seem  to  possess  the  full  qualities  of  the 
extract  of  belladonna.  "  Admixtures  of  extractives  with  the  alka- 
loid cannot  fully  replace  natural  belladonna  extractives  that  are 
of  the  same  alkaloidal  proportions." 
Prof.  Lloyd  has  stated:  "In  my  opinion  the  term  'derivative' 
will  apply  better  to  belladonna  ultimates  than  constituents."  All 
