Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
May,  1883.  j 
Myrtus  Chekeii. 
249 
2  per  cent.  The  oil  burns  with  a  white  flame,  is  soluble  in  alcohol, 
€ther,  or  chloroform,  and  on  testing  with  ferric  chloride,  shows  the 
absence  of  phenol-like  bodies.  The  addition  of  a  strong  solution  of 
potassium  hydrate  produced  a  copious,  dense  white  precipitate.  The 
oil  oxidizes  by  long  exposure  to  air,  to  an  acid,  and  is  evidently  an 
aldehyde.  Nitric  acid,  in  the  cold,  has  little  effect,  but  when  warmed, 
energetically  oxidizes  it,  coloring  it  at  first  purplish,  changing  rapidly 
into  a  red-brown  resin.  The  addition  of  potassa  to  an  alcoholic  solu- 
tion of  this  resin  gave  a  dark  brown  color,  and  evolved  a  strong  aro- 
matic odor,  dissimilar  to  that  of  the  essential  oil,  but  resembling  more 
that  of  Tonqua  bean ;  the  solution  on  standing  became  a  semi-crystal- 
line, reddish  mass,  aromatic  in  taste. 
To  ascertain  if  any  volatile  alkali  was  present,  the  residue  in  the 
still  was  treated  with  potassium  hydrate,  and  the  distillation  continued. 
The  distillate  was  of  a  strong,  disagreeable  odor  (probably  owing  to  a 
decomposition  product),  and  decidedly  alkaline  in  its  reactions ;  but  the 
red  color  of  the  litmus  paper  was  slowly  restored  on  drying.  The  dis- 
tillate was  neutralized  by  hydrogen  acetate  and  slowly  concentrated  in 
a  water-bath,  giving  off  vapors  highly  charged  Avith  the  alkaloidal 
odor.  Tested  by  Mayer's  Solution  and  by  solution  of  iodine  in  iodide 
of  potassium,  no  change  was  observed  seemingly,  showing  the  absence 
of  alkaloid.  The  solution  was  now  evaporated  spontaneously;  the 
residue  purified  by  recrystallizations  from  alcohol,  when  small,  white, 
delicately  tufted  crystals  were  obtained,  of  strong,  peculiar,  cheken- 
like  odor,  made  more  prominent  when  moistened  with  the  breath,  and 
having  a  feeble,  bitter  taste.  This  alkaloid  I  have  named  chekenine. 
The  acetate  is  soluble  in  alcohol  or  water,  but  insoluble  in  ether. 
Phosphomolybdic  acid  gives  a  copious,  dense  white  precipitate  from 
the  alcoholic  solutions  of  its  salts,  which  are  insoluble  in  excess  of  alco- 
hol or  ether,  but  redissolved  by  large  additions  of  water.  Nitric  acid 
causes  little  change,  but  if  followed  by  potassium  ferrocyanide,  a  light 
green,  deepening  into  an  emerald  green  color,  is  produced.  This  reaction 
is  very  characteristic. 
On  examining  a  fluid  extract  of  long  standing,  made  with  70  per 
cent,  alcohol,  a  deposition  of  crystals  was  noticed.  They  were  sepa- 
rated from  the  liquid  by  filtration,  purified  by  washing  with  ether,  and 
on  examination  were  found  to  be  chekenine,  which  had  evidently  been 
precipitated  from  the  concentrated  solution  by  the  presence  of  its 
tannin. 
