N. 0. SOLANACE.E. 905
" The plant is very common along the shores of the Mediter- ranean, where it has always been reputed to be hypnotic. The properties of W. somnifera have recently been investigated by Dr. Trebut with regard to its reputation for hypnotic proper- ties ; he states that he has obtained an alkaloid from it which has hypnotic action and does not produce mydriases. P. L. Simmonds (Amer. Journ. Pharm., Feb., 1891) states that the plant is employed at the Civil Hospital. Alger, as a sedative and hypnotic." Pharmacographia Indica, II. 567).
In the Punjab, used for lumber pains and considered aphro- disiac. In Sind, used to cause abortion.
The seeds act as diuretic and hypnotic (Irvine). The late Dr. Burton Brown of Lahore recorded a fatal case of poisoning by the seeds of this plant. Rajputs regard the root as useful in rheumatism and dyspepsia.
Dr. Lai Mohan Ghosal concludes his paper on the Physic- logical Study of the properties of this drug as follows : —
1. The drug has two principles— one a bitter crystalline principle and the other an alkaloidal body.
2. The drug has got a sedative action on the nerves ; the sedative effect is probably due to the action of the bitter prin- ciple which when injected into a guineapig caused a sort of sedative action. This is also verified by the convulsion and coma caused by the injection of the alkaloid.
3. The drug although acts as a sedative has got no de- pressant action on the heart at the same time. (Food and Drugs, Vol. I. p. 127).
Messrs. F. B. Power and A. H. Sal way summarize the results of their analysis of this drug as follows : —
Preliminary tests, conducted with both portions of the plant, indicated the presence of an alkaloid.
I. Constituents of the Root. — An alcoholic extract of the root, when distilled with steam, yielded a very small amount of an essential oil. The portion of the extract which was soluble in water contained, besides indefinite, amorphous substances, a quantity of sugar, which yielded d-phenylglucosazone (m. p. 210°).
The portion of the extract which was insoluble in water consisted chiefly of a black resin, and amounted to about 27 per cent, of the weight of the root, From this resin the following definite substances were isolated: hentriacon- tane, C 3x H 64: ; a phytosterol, C 27 H 4(5 0, (m. p. 135-136°); a mixture of fatty
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