The chemistry of the jaborandi alkaloids / by H.A.D. Jowett. The pharamacology of the jaborandi alkaloids / by C.R.Marshall. Remarks on extractum jaborandi liquidum (B.P.) / by H.A.D. Jowett and C.R. Marshall.

  • Jowett, H. A. D. (Hooper Albert Dickinson)
Date:
1900?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The chemistry of the jaborandi alkaloids / by H.A.D. Jowett. The pharamacology of the jaborandi alkaloids / by C.R.Marshall. Remarks on extractum jaborandi liquidum (B.P.) / by H.A.D. Jowett and C.R. Marshall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    small that they cannot readily be separated by fractional crystallisation unless one salt is present in only a small quan¬ tity. Isopilocarpine nitrate is present as an impurity in the commercial pilocarpine nitrate, and this impurity has been confused with pilocarpidine nitrate, which is not present, as it is easily separated owing to its much greater solubility, and remains in the mother liquors. Isopilocarpine occurs in small quantity in the leaves, but the greater portion is formed dur¬ ing the process of manufacture in a similar manner to the conversion of hyoscyamine into atropine. It is curious that as the optically active hyoscyamine is converted in alkaline solu¬ tion into the inactive atropine, so in alkaline solution the optically active pilocarpine is converted into the optically in¬ active isopilocarpin (in neutral solution isopilocarpine is optic¬ ally active). Pilocarpidine C10HllO.2N’2 is found only in the leaves of true jaborandi, and differs from pilocarpine and isopilocarpine in its chemical composition and in other respects. The nitrate is much more soluble in alcohol or water (i in 2 parts of water) than the other nitrates. I have definitely proved it to be absentinthepilocarpinenitrate of commerce and theMaranham jaborandi. From 7 lbs. of true jaborandi leaves I obtained a very small quantity of a very soluble nitrate, which appeared from its melting point (1370) and its crystalline form to be pilo¬ carpidine nitrate. The yield was 0.017 per cent, of the leaves taken, and as the supply of genuine jaborandi leaves is almost exhausted nothing further can be done with this alkaloid. It is no v, however, definitely proved that this alkaloid exists, and is found only in small quantity in the leaves of the true jaborandi and not in the other varieties. Jaborine.—I had previously shown that no alkaloid answer¬ ing to the description of jaborine occurs in the Maranham jaborandi or in the jaborine of commerce, so a very careful search was made to ascertain whether such an alkaloid is pre¬ sent in true jaborandi. Seven pounds of genuine jaborandi leaves yielded 0.35 per cent of pure pilocarpine nitrate, a small quantity of isopilocarpine nitrate,an 1 an amorphous substance soluble in excess of acid but pn cipitated on adding ammonia insufficient to neutralise the excess of acid. This substance was not alkaloidal, and proved on examination to have no atropine action. This amorphous product obtained was 0.016