488 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1880. 
solution  of  the  sulphate  of  duboisina,  and  a  solution  containing  4  grains 
to  the  ounce  has  been  known  to  produce  dizziness  in  a  few  minutes 
after  application  to  the  eye.  Like  the  active  principle  of  the  belladonna, 
duboisina  also  has  the  power  of  arresting  or  contt-oiling  profuse  per- 
spiration, and  can  be  used  with  decided  effect  for  this  purpose  when 
injected  hypodermically,  -^^  of  a  grain  being  usually  sufficient. 
Eserina  is  obtained  from  the  Calabar  bean  and  appears  to  represent 
the  active  principles  of  that  substance.  It  is  obtained  by  treating  the 
powdered  beans  with  alcohol,  acidulated  with  tartaric  acid,  evaporating 
the  solution  to  an  extractive  consistence,  dissolving  this  in  cold  water, 
filtering  to  separate  resinous  substances,  agitating  with  ether,  removing 
the  ether  and  adding  bicarbonate  of  potassium  in  slight  excess  to  the 
aqueous  solution,  agitating  again  with  ether,  which  will  now  take  up 
the  liberated  eserina  and  upon  spontaneous  evaporation  will  yield  the 
alkaloid.  When  pure  it  crystallizes  in  thin  rhombic  plates,  nearly 
white,  or  of  a  slightly  rosy  tint.  The  sulphate  is  very  deliquescent. 
Its  solutions  are  characterized  by  becoming  red  upon  addition  of  an 
alkali,  or  if  heated  with  ammonia  and  evaporated  to  dryness  a  beauti- 
fully blue  coloring  substance  is  produced,  which  is  very  soluble  in  water. 
It  to  this  an  acid  is  added  a  dichroic  liquid  is  produced,  being  violet  by 
transmitted  light  and  carmine  red  by  refracted  light.  Eserina  sulphate, 
in  solution,  is  used  as  an  application  to  the  eyes  and  produces  contrac- 
tion. The  strength  of  the  solution  is  generally  i  part  to  1,000  or  to 
800,  and  as  it  rapidly  alters,  soon  becoming  red,  it  should  be  made  only 
ii»  small  quantities.  A  solution  in  glycerin  might  possibly  keep  better. 
The  physiological  action  of  eserina  is  antagonistic  to  belladonna.  The 
alkaloid  has  been  used  with  success  in  cases  of  poisoning  by  the  latter 
drug. 
Pilocarpina,  the  active  principle  of  jaborandi,  is  obtained  by  adding 
an  alkali  to  an  aqueous  solution  of  the  alcoholic  extract,  agitating  with 
chloroform  and  evaporating.  It  appears  to  be  uncrystallizable,  is  an 
oily,  light-yellow  liquid.  It  forms,  however,  crystallizable  salts  with  a 
number  of  acids  ;  composition,  according  to  Kingzett,  C23H34N4O4. 
The  salt  most  used  is  the  hydrochlorate,  which  occurs  in  white,  feath- 
ery crystals  and  is  very  deliquescent.  Solutions  of  this  salt  generally 
produce  contraction  of  the  pupil  when  applied  to  the  eye,  unaccom- 
panied by  irritation,  on  which  account  it  may  replace  the  use  of  eserina 
in  some  cases.  Hypodermically  injected  in  doses  of  from  -J-  to  J  a 
grain  it  produces  profuse  perspiration  and  salivation,  and  can  replace 
