580  Standardization  of  Piscidia  erythrina.    { Am-  sJe°putn  ^ ^rm' 
Chemical  Investigation. 
The  only  physiologically  active  constituent  which  could  be  found 
credited  to  Jamaica  dogwood  in  this  investigation  was  the  crystalline 
substance  "piscidin."  Piscidin  is  credited  by  Berberich3  as  having 
the  formula  C29H2408.  Berberich  also  states  that  Edward  Hart* 
by  treating  the  fluid  extract  of  the  bark  of  Jamaica  dogwood  with 
slaked  lime,  obtained  a  crystalline  substance,  which  he  considered  to 
be  the  active  principle  of  the  bark.  The  crystals  separated  on  the 
sides  and  bottom  of  the  flask,  in  which  the  experiments  were  con- 
ducted, after  the  mixture  had  stood  for  two  or  three  days.  The 
crystals  were  accompanied  with  a  resinous  substance.  They  were 
purified  by  recrystallization  from  alcohol  and  were  finally  obtained 
in  a  nearly  colorless  condition.  After  repeated  crystallization  from 
alcohol,  the  substance  was  obtained  in  the  form  of  small  yellowish 
crystals,  which,  under  the  microscope  appeared  to  consist  of  four- 
to  six-sided  prisms.  Hart  further  described  the  crystals  as  "  in- 
soluble in  water,  slightly  soluble  in  cold,  much  more  in  boiling  alco- 
hol, only  slightly  soluble  in  ether  and  easily  soluble  in  benzene  and 
chloroform.  It  is  dissolved  by  strong  hydrochloric  acid  and  sul- 
phuric acid  and  precipitated  from  these  solutions,  apparently  un- 
changed, by  water.  Fehling's  solution  failed  to  detect  glucose  or 
sucrose.  The  alcoholic  solution  is  neutral  to  litmus.  Alcoholic  lead 
acetate  solution  does  not  produce  a  precipitate."  Berberich  found 
crystals  of  piscidin  to  melt  at  1920  C.  and  that  they  conformed  to  the 
formula  C29H24Os  by  elementary  analysis.  He  named  the  substance 
"  piscidia."  Berberich  repeated  the  experiments  of  Hart.  He  made 
a  fluid  extract  from  500  Gms.  of  the  bark  by  use  of  78  per  cent, 
alcohol.  The  extract  was  concentrated  by  distilling  off  the  alcohol 
until  about  100  Mils  of  liquid  remained.  This  liquid  was  poured 
into  a  beaker  containing  30  Gms.  of  quicklime  which  had  previously 
been  slaked  with  enough  water  to  make  a  thick  paste.  The  milk 
of  lime  and  concentrated  extract  were  intimately  mixed,  the  mix- 
ture was  allowed  to  stand  in  a  warm  place  for  one  half  hour, 
strained  and  the  residue  pressed.  The  liquid  was  then  filtered. 
Water  was  added  to  the  clear  filtrate  until  slightly  turbid.  After 
3  Berberich,  Herman :  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  Sept.,  1898,  pp. 
425-427. 
4  Hart,  Edward:  American  Chem.  Joam.,  1883,  p.  39,  also  Therapeutic 
Gazette,  1883,  pp.  97,  98. 
