140  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Xm^cl\imTm' 
The  active  principle  of  the  Borraginece. — The  roots,  stems,  leaves 
and  seeds  of  Heliotr opium  europceum  and  of  Cynoglossum  officinale 
were  examined.  By  hot  extraction  of  the  roots  with  petroleum-ether 
there  was  extracted,  especially  from  the  cynoglossum,  a  red  coloring 
principle,  which  by  spectroscopic  examination  was  proven  to  be 
identical  with  the  coloring  matter  from  alkanna.  By  extracting  the 
residue  with  alcohol  and  evaporating,  a  mixture  of  wax  and  alkaloid 
was  obtained ;  the  latter  was  separated  by  treatment  with  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  and  the  solution  supersaturated  with  ammonia  yielded 
the  alkaloid  to  chloroform.  The  roots  after  treatment  with  alcohol 
had  lost  all  the  bitter  taste.  The  stems  and  leaves  treated  in  the 
same  manner  failed  to  give  indications  of  alkaloids.  The  seeds  by 
the  same  treatment  yielded  the  same  alkaloid  as  the  roots.  The 
alkaloids  extracted  from  the  two  plants  are  identical:  it  is  hygro- 
scopic ;  its  salts  are  uncrystallizabie  and  are  readily  decomposed 
at  100°  C.  and  even  at  normal  temperatures  after  some  time.  The 
alkaloid  gives  precipitates  with  the  alkaloidal  reagents;  with  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid  it  becomes  yellow,  changing  to  a  red ;  the 
addition  of  oxidizing  agents  does  not  produce  characteristic  colora- 
tions Physiological  experiments  did  not  show  the  curarine.like 
effects,  as  has  been  announced  by  other  investigators.  The  name 
cynoglossine  is  proposed  to  be  retained  for  the  alkaloid,  no  matter 
from  which  source  it  is  obtained. — Prof.  F.  Schlagdenhauffen  and 
E.  Reeb,  Pharm.  Post,  1892,  1. 
The  examination  of  urine  for  sugar  frequently  gives  negative  tests 
with  Fehling's  solution  in  the  presence  of  sugar,  because  of  the 
presence  of  interfering  substances.  Dr.  G.  Vulpius  recommends 
the  following  method  of  applying  the  test:  In  two  test  tubes  are 
placed  5  cc.  diluted  Fehling's  solution  and  heated  to  the  boiling 
point;  to  one  of  these  is  added  one  cc.  of  the  urine,  to  the  other 
one  cc.  of  a  mixture  of  equal  volumes  of  urine  and  1  per  cent, 
glucose  solution,  and  the  tests  again  heated  to  the  boiling  point. 
Should  neither  test  show  indications  of  reduction  it  proves  the 
presence  of  interfering  substances,  and  other  tests  for  sugar  must  be 
applied ;  if  the  test  with  the  urine  is  negative  while  the  one  con- 
taining the  glucose  is  positive,  it  indicates  the  absence  of  interfering 
substances  and  of  sugar  in  the  urine  so  that  no  further  tests  need 
be  applied. — Pharm.  Post,  1892,  7. 
