916
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
alkaloids, one of which Hyoscyamine, is isomeric with Atropine, and identical with Daturine and Duboisine." Ladenburg distinguishes Hyoscyamine from Atropine by the melting-points of the alkaloids, and their gold-salts. Profes- sor Schmiedeberg of the University of Strassburg says* that Atropine occurs in Datarine of the Thorn-apple ; Hyoscyamine, which is isomeric with Atro- pine is also said to be contained in the Thorn apple. But he doubts the identity of Duboisine with Hyoscyamine |. Dymock and his collaborateurs who have carefully examined the plant, say that Prof. E. .Schmidt and Mr. Schute have found, as the result of their researches, that the seeds of D. stramonium contain much Hyoscyamine, with small quantities of Atropine and Hyoscine (Apoth. Ztg., 1890, 511). Stramonine is not mentioned along with these. But in Dy mock's Ph. Indica it is stated that M. Gerard has prepared a new fat acid, Daturic acid, from the seeds, which yield 25 per cent, oil when extracted by ether. Purified with petroleum, this oil is of a peculiar greenish-yellow colour. M. Gerard places Daturic acid between Palmitic and Stearic acids. They have analogous properties. Daturic acid crystallizes by cold from 85 per cent, alcohol giving groups of fine needles. It is fairly soluble in cold alcohol and very soluble in ether and benzene. * * *
Dr. Murrell says that according to the old classification the active prin- ciples were as follows :-*-
1. Belladonna contained Atropine.
2. Hyoscyamus— Hyosciamine and Hyoscine.
3. Stramonium— Daturine.
II A Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Pages 430—452, London. 1896.
" Ladenburg," adds Dr. Murrell, " has re-investigated the matter and says there are only three natural mydriatic alkaloids, * They are as follows : —
1. Atropine— which occurs in Atropa belladonna, and in Datura stramo- nium. (I may add in the Indian Datura, varieties and species of all Datura plants. K, R. K.)
2. Hyoscyamine— which occurs in Belladonna, Datura, Hyoscyamus, and Duboisia mjroporoides.
3. Hyoscine— which occurs in Hyoscyamus.
Duboisine is identical with Hyoscyamine ; and Daturine is a mixture of Atropine and Hyoscyamine.
N. B.— l am all at sea here, for Sohn, whom I have quoted above, says that the Datura stramonium contains Atropine, Hyoscyamine, Hyoscine, and Stra- monine. The reader may accept the views of any of the pharmacologists I have cited above.
Dr. Murrell says that Atropine. Hyoscyamine, and Hyoscine are isomeric,
- Elements of Pharmacology, Dixon's English Translation. Edinburgh 1887.
| Pharmacographia Indica, p. 588, Vol. II., 1891, Bombay, by Dymock, Warden and Hooper.
