ON A NEW ALKALOID, ETC. 
347 
ART. LXXXV. — ON A NEW ALKALOID CONTAINED IN THE 
SEED OF AGROSTEMMA GITHAGO. 
By H. Schulze. 
This alkaloid, which the author has called agrostemmine, 
is contained abundantly in the outer coat of the seed. The 
entire seeds were exhausted with weak alcohol, to which 
some acetic acid had been added, the concentrated liquid 
mixed with magnesia, and the dried precipitate treated with 
alcohol. On evaporating this solution, the alkaloid sepa- 
rated in crystals, which, after frequent recrystallization 
formed yellowish-white laminae. They fuse at a slightly 
elevated temperature, dissolve with difficulty in water, 
readily in alcohol, communicating to it an alkaline reaction. 
It furnishes, by neutralization with dilute acids, crystalline 
salts. The platinum double salt was obtained as a reddish- 
brown crystalline precipitate, by mixing an alcoholic solu- 
tion of agrostemmine with chloride of platinum. The 
chloride of agrostemmine and gold separates slowly in yel- 
low granular crystals from an alcoholic solution. 
The sulphate is obtained in beautiful crystals, which are 
readily soluble in hot water, still more so in alcohol. The 
phosphate forms a bulky precipitate. 
On boiling with solution of caustic potash, it is decom- 
posed with evolution of ammonia, differing in this respect 
from all the other natural alkaloids. The solution then 
furnishes a white precipitate with muriatic acid. Concen- 
trated sulphuric acid colors it first red, and then blackens it. 
— Archiv de Pharm. 
