Experiments are required on the influence of the temperature of drying on the keeping properties of powdered opium.

Opium, Powdered, Loss of Morphine in, on Keeping. C. E. Sage. (Pharm. J., 1922, [4] 55, 353.) The author's experience tends to confirm the fact of the loss of morphine in opium. It was found that there was difficulty in preparing the B.P. 1885 extract to contain 20 per cent. of morphine, when using opium of relatively low morphine content. Moist and dried extract, tested together, usually showed a loss of morphine in the dried product. Samples of Pulv. Ipecac. Co, examined some months after preparation are usually below the normal morphine content. In the case of powdered Persian opium, the morphine content has been found to be lower than that obtained from the same drug immediately before and after shipment. It is suggested that the NH, which is often liberated in noticeable amount when the drug is triturated with Ca(OH)2 may be derived from a morphine decomposition product.

Opium from the Growth of 1852-1853, Present Morphine Content of. H. E. Watt. (Pharm. J., 1923, [4] 56, 241.) An old sample of "Candeish opium," weighing originally 251 Gm., had lost 10 Gm. (probably moisture only) in 70 years; it contained 7.6 per cent. of anhydrous morphine. This closely agrees with results on similar samples now 45 years old in the Indian Museum and examined at the time by Hanbury and Solly.

Opium, Macedonian and Persian, Alkaloidal Content of. A. Jermstad. (Schweiz. Apoth. Zeit., 1922, 60, 691.) Macedonian opium contained 13-87 per cent. of morphine; 4.67 per cent. of narcotine; 2.1 per cent. of codeine, 5.9 per cent. of meconic acid, and 7.5 per cent. of moisture. Persian opium gave 10-69 per cent. of morphine; 3.23 per cent. of codeine; 11-26 per cent. of narcotine; 5.5 per cent. of meconic acid; and 7.99 per cent. of moisture. The narcotine content of the Persian sample is very high.

Paniculatine, the Alkaloid of Aconitum Paniculatum. G. E Brunner. (Schweiz. Apoth. Zeit., 1922, 60, 357.) The alkaloid of Aconitum paniculatum differs from aconitine. It has the molecular formula, C29H35O7N, and crystallizes from MeOH in small rhombic prisms, m.p. 263° C. It has been named paniculatine. (See also Gen. Index.)

Quinine, New Colour Reactions for. D. Ganassini. (Boll. chim. farm., 1921, 60, 141, through J. Pharm. Chim., 1922, 26, 142.) Chlorine water is added to a quinine solution in a test tube. Then, very dilute NH OH, KOH, or NaOH solution, rendered dense by the addition of NaCl to saturation, is run in. A reddish violet ring will form at the zone of separation; then the lower layer becomes green in presence of NH OH, or yellow in presence of KOH or NaOH.

The familiar erythroquinine reaction may be modified as follows:-After having obtained the green colour by the addition of NH4OH to a mixture of the quinine solution and Cl water, a few drops of freshly prepared K,Fe(CN), are added; the green colour changes to red; and on shaking with CHCI, the red colour passes into that solvent. (See also Y.B., 1920, 30.)

Scopolamine Poisoning and the Detection of Scopolamine in the Tissues. A. Brüning. (Ber. deuts. Pharm. Ges., 1923, 33, 103, through J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 1923, 42, 592л.) The symptoms in a fatal case of scopolamine poisoning are described, and the method employed for an examination of the urine, stomach contents, and liver for the poison is given. Fifty c.c. of urine was evaporated, the residue treated with EtOH, the solution filtered, again evaporated, and extracted with Et,0, care being taken to keep the liquids faintly acid with H,C,HO throughout the operation. The acid aqueous liquid was then rendered faintly alkaline with NaHCO3, and again extracted with Et,O. The Et,0 extract containing the alkaloid gave on evaporation a varnish which both in this case and in the case of the similar extract from the stomach contents was best purified through the Au salt; this though not precipitated from the solution, was boiled with charcoal, decomposed with H2S, and the scopolamine in the aqueous filtrate was then isolated as the crystalline hydrobromide by evaporation in a vacuum exsiccator. The crystals had a powerful mydriatic action, and gave a distinct violet reaction in the Vitali test.

Sinomenium acutum, New Alkaloids of. H. Kondo, E. Ochiai, and T. Nakajima. (Jap. Pharm. J., 1923 (497) 39.) Sinomenium acutum, N.O. Menispermaceae known as “Otsuzura-fugi," has been shown by Isihwari to contain a crystalline alkaloid sinomenine, to which the formula C16H19NO, was attributed. Taguchi recorded two other bases, one crys

20

talline, kukoline, C16H0NO3 + 3H2O and the other amorphous, diversine C16H20NO. The authors have retained the name, sinomenine for the crystalline alkaloid and diversine for the amorphous base which they have further investigated.

23

4

Sinomenine forms star-shaped groups of crystals from C.H.. These have a double m.p., 161° and 182° C. The formula is C19H2NO, or C19H21NO. The hydrochloride contains 2 mols. H2O and melts at 231° C. The free base has the [a]p16-70°76 the anhydrous hydrochloride [a]D17 82°4. Sinomenine is a powerful reducing agent precipitating Ag and Au from its salts. It is soluble in NaOH. It contains two OCH, groups and one NCH, group. Its structure and compounds are fully described. Diversine differs from sinomenine in being soluble in Et,O. The amorphous base melts at 80-93° and has the formula C20H 27 NO。. It contains two OCH, groups and one NCH, group, like sinomenine. It is even more active as a reducing agent. From the consideration of the formulæ of these bases it is evident that they are very closely related to the pareira alkaloids, bebeerine, isobebeerine and chondrodine isolated by Scholz from Chondrodendron tomentosum root. (See also Y.B., 1922, 18.)

Guerbet and

Bouillot.

-

Strychnine Phosphates. (J. Pharm. Chim., 1922, 26, 313, 405.) As previously stated by Anderson, monobasic strychnine phosphate is readily obtained by dissolving one molecular weight of strychnine by aid of heat in the equivalent of H3PO, diluted with water. It forms colourless needles having the composition C21H22N2O2H ̧PO....2H2O; soluble 1 : 15 in cold water; sparingly soluble in EtOH; almost insoluble in Et2O and in CHCl3; ap in aqueous solution is — 23°. The dibasic phosphate, contrary to Anderson's statement, can also be obtained by direct combination of the acid and base, but only in EtOH solution. Two molecular weights of strychnine is treated with 1 mol. H,PO, dissolved in EtOH 80 per cent. On evaporation, thin crystalline scales are formed having the composition (C21H22N2O2)2. H3PO4.9H2O. This salt is only sparingly soluble in water, which dissociates it into the monobasic phosphate and strychnine. Soluble in EtOH 1:100 · insoluble in Et2O and in CHCl3; ap- 43°13 in EtOH solution. The tribasic phosphate is nonexistent.

4

Taxine, the Alkaloid from Taxus baccata. E. Winterstein and D. Iatrides. (Z. physiol. Chem., 117, 1921,

240, through J. Chem. Soc., 1922, 122, [1], 572.) Taxine, obtained in yield of 0.7-1.4 per cent. from dried yew-needles, has the formula C7H51010N. It has not been possible to obtain it or its salts in a crystalline condition. The amorphous base sinters at 97° C. and melts at 105-110° C, [a]p+ 53.15° in 1 per cent. H2SO4, + 51·52° in absolute EtOH. With dilute organic and inorganic acids, cinnamic acid, acetic acid, a substance having reducing properties, and a resinous product are formed. With NaOH in the cold, cinnamic acid is produced in small amounts. When heated by itself, taxine gives rise to a product containing N. On reduction, it unites with 2 molecules of H, forming a compound, C7H55O10N; thus indicating the presence of two double bonds. Similarly, a yellow amorphous compound, C7H51010NBг4, m.p. 125–130° (decomp.), is formed on bromination. Acetic anhydride produces an acetyl derivative of uncertain constitution, which with alcoholic KOH yields a molecular proportion of cinnamic acid. Methyl iodide gives a white methiodide, C37H51O10N,CH ̧I, m.p. 122–125°, which with alkali hydroxide yields a white, flocculent product, C37H48010, m.p. 120-140°, methylamine being eliminated. Oxidation with H2O, results in the formation of a reducing compound which with phloroglucinol and hydrogen chloride gives a crystalline compound, light brown needles, m.p. 123° C. With KMnO4, benzamide, benzoic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, and benzonitrile are formed and also a substance which with phenylhydrazine yields a compound, (C,HON), white glistening scales, m.p. 185° C. (See also Y.B., 1922, 21.)

4

Theobromine, Determination of, in Diuretin. O. Scha a p. (Pharm. Weekblad, through Pharm. Zentralh., 1922.) Five c.c. of a 1: 10 solution of ZnSO, is added to 1 Gm. of diuretin in 5 c.c. of water. After boiling for a minute or two, the solution is set aside, and the precipitated Zn-theobromine compound collected on a filter, washed and dried. It should weigh 0.539 Gm.; the weight 0-85026 gives the equivalent of theobromine.

Vitali's Reaction and the Constitution of Alkaloids affording it. P. Hardy. (J. Pharm. Chim., 1922, 26, 172.) The author has previously pointed out (Y.B., 1922, 7) that Vitali's reaction is not given by pure cocaine, but is due, when positive, to the presence of isatropyl cocaine. Further investigation shows that the reaction is characteristic of esters, combinations of alcohols such as tropine, ecgonine, scopoline, and ethyl alcohol,

with certain acids possessing a structure analogous to tropic acid. Thus scopolamine, the scopoline ester of tropic acid, gives the reaction very markedly. Homotropine and its salts, when pure, do not react with Vitali's test; any positive reaction obtained is due to traces of impurity. Ethyl tropate gives the reaction distinctly; veratrine does not. A number of other experiments are cited, proving the reaction to be due to esters of the tropic acid series.

Yohimbi Bark, Determination of Yohimbine in. W. Brandt. (Archiv. Pharm., 1922, [1] and [2], through J. Pharm. Belg., 1923, 5, 204.) In a tared well-corked flask, 10 Gm. of the powdered bark is macerated for 2 or 3 hours with 100 Gm. of Et2O and 5 Gm. of NaOH solution 15 per cent. As much as possible of the Et2O is then filtered through cotton wool in a tared phial, about 70 Gm. will be obtained, and this is shaken out twice in a separator with 20 and 20 c.c. of 1 per cent. solution of HCl, sp.g. 1.126. The bulked acid extracts, in another separator, are rendered alkaline with Na2CO3, are shaken out with successive quantities of Et2O. The bulked Et2O extracts, in a third separator into which 20 c.c. of N/10 HCl and 20 c.c. of water have been introduced previously. After thorough agitation and complete separation, the aqueous portion is run off, the Et2O washed and the washings added to the other aqueous solution. This is then covered with a layer of Et,O about 1 cm. deep, and the free acid titrated with N/10 KOH and iodeosin indicator. If M the weight of the original Et,O extract; n the number of c.c. of N/10 KOH used; Fs the factor of the N/10 HC1; Fk the factor of the N/10 KOH; the percentage of total alkaloids expressed as yohimbine is found by the formula

=

=

By this method up to 6.1 per cent. of total alkaloids has been found in good yohimbi bark. Other barks have given from 3.2 to 1.6 per cent., and as little as 0.5 per cent. has been met with. The proportion of yohimbine in the total alkaloids is about 20 per cent. of the whole. (See also Y.B., 1922, 208.)

Yohimbine in Yohimbe Bark, Estimation of. H. Vogtherr and R. N. King. (Pharm. Ztg., 1923, 68, 447, through Chem. Abstr., 1923, 17, 2766.) Mix 50 Gm. of the powdered bark (No.