340 
The  Quinotoxin  Myth. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1921. 
more  slowly  in  diffused  light;  but  this  also  is  converted  into  resin. 
The  formation  of  cinchbnicin  or  quinicin  may  be  judged  by  the  dark 
discoloration  (Biddle).  Quinine  behaves  in  all  these  respects  essen- 
tially like  cinchonine. 
Amount  of  Quinicin  Formed  in  the  Stomach. — Only  insignifi- 
cant traces  of  quinicin  could  be  formed  in  the  stomach.  The  hydro- 
lisis  of  quinine  occurs,  so  far  as  known,  only  in  acid  mediums.  This 
would  confine  its  possible  production  in  the  body  to  the  stomach. 
Kauf mann  4  found  that  traces  of  cinchonicin  are  formed  by  warming 
cinchonine  with  o.i  per  cent,  hydrochloric  acid.  Biddle  denies  this,, 
but  suggests  that  the  transformation  would  occur  when  organic  acids 
are  present  in  the  stomach,  as  is  not  infrequently  the  case.  Both 
writers  overlook  the  time  factor.  They  found  only  traces  trans- 
formed after  one  or  two  days,  whereas  the  quinine  would  remain  in 
the  stomach  for  only  a  few  hours.  They  also  overlook  the  fact  that 
toxic  effects  of  quinine  occur  at  least  as  frequently  if  the  quinine  is 
given  by  channels  other  than  the  stomach. 
Formation  of  Quinicin  in  Prescriptions. — Biddle's  work  leaves 
no  doubt  that  this  would  occur  if  quinine  were  subjected  to  prolonged 
boiling  with  organic  acid ;  but  there  would  be  no  occasion  for  this  in 
prescribing.  It  would  also  be  formed  at  ordinary  temperature,  but 
only  very  slowly;  and  its  parallel 'conversion  into  insoluble  resin 
would  prevent  its  accumulation. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  solutions  of  quinine  containing  exc'ess  of 
organic  acids  would  very  slowly  lose  their  activity,  and,  for  this  rea- 
son, bid,  discolored  or  precipitated  solutions  should  not  be  dispensed ; 
but  there  is  no  reason  to  apprehend  danger  from  them.  Even  the 
changes  occurring  after  a  long  time  in  capsules  of  acetylsaliclic  acid 
and  quinin  hydrochlorid,  as  reported  by  Scoville,5  are  more  impor- 
tant by  the  liberation  of  salicylic  acid  than  by  the  formation  of  quin- 
icin. 
Actions  of  Quinicin. — Hildebrandt 6  asserted  that  this  is  not 
convulsive,  that  it  has  a  digitoxin  effect  on  the  frog  heart  and  that  it 
4Kaufmann,  A.:  Ber.  d.  chem.  Gesellsch.  46:1823,  1913. 
5  Scoville,  W.  L. :  J.  Am;  Pharm.  A.  4:590,  1915;  Bull.  Pharm.  28:527, 
1015;  ibid.  29:174,  1915. 
6  Hildebrandt,  H. :  Arch.  f.  exper.  Path.  u.  Pharmakol.  59:127,  1908. 
