Am  Tour.  Phaini. 
J\.ne,  190]. 
Investigation  of  Colchicum. 
293 
AN  INVESTIGATION  OF  COLCHICUM.1 
By  Louis  Schui^ze. 
Query  15. — "Colchicum  root  arid  seed  both  contain  as  their 
principle  colchicine  an  alkaloid.  Why  should  both  be  official,  and 
which  is  preferable,  and  for  what  reasons  ?" 
If  colchicum  depends  upon  the  alkaloid  colchicine  for  its  thera- 
peutic value,  then,  it  seems,  only  that  portion  of  the  plant  contain- 
ing the  largest  amount  of  this  alkaloid  should  be  official,  and  all 
galenical  preparations  be  made  from  that  portion. 
Colchicine  differs  from  most  alkaloids  in  the  following  particulars  : 
(1)  It  is  removed  from  acid  solutions  by  shaking  with  chloro- 
form. 
(2)  It  is  quite  freely  soluble  in  water. 
(3)  It  is  precipitated  by  Mayer's  reagent  only  from  strongly  acid 
solutions. 
This  alkaloid  is,  furthermore,  very  easily  decomposed,  its  aqueous 
solutions  rapidly  losing  strength,  even  when  quite  neutral.  Mineral 
acids,  even  quite  dilute,  decompose  it  on  application  of  heat. 
In  assaying  the  root  and  seed  for  ascertaining  the  percentage  of 
colchicine  three  methods  were  pursued,  namely : 
First  Met! wci, — 100  grammes  of  the  powdered  drug  were  placed  in 
a  flask,  and  100  c.c.  of  Prollius'  mixture  added.  After  securely  cork- 
ing, this  was  macerated,  with  occasional  shaking,  for  twelve  hours. 
After  decanting  50  c.c.  of  the  clear  fluid,  it  was  evaporated  on  a 
water-bath  in  a  beaker  nearly  to  dryness.  The  residue  was  taken 
up  until  10  c.c.  of  ether  and  5  c.c.  sulphuric  acid  (2-5  per  cent.) 
added  and  stirred  until  the  ether  was  evaporated.  The  acid  fluid 
was  then  filtered  into  a  separator,  retaining  the  insoluble  residue  as 
much  as  possible  in  the  beaker.  This  residue  was  redissolved  in  a 
little  ether,  and  2  c.c.  of  the  dilute  acid  added,  stirring  as  before,  and 
filtering  the  acid  aqueous  solution  into  the  separator.  After  washing 
the  filter  with  a  little  of  the  acid,  the  washings  were  added  to  the 
contents  of  the  separator  and  15  c.c.  of  chloroform  shaken  carefully 
with  it  during  two  minutes.  It  was  then  allowed  to  separate  and 
the  chloroform  drawn  off  into  a  tared  beaker.  This  treatment  was 
continued  with  two  portions  of  fresh  chloroform  (10  c.c.  being  used 
1  Eighteenth  Annual  Proceedings  of  the  Maryland  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion, June,  1900,  p.  119. 
