Pilocarpine and the alkaloids of jaborandi leaves / by Hooper Albert Dickinson Jowett.

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

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Pilocarpine and the alkaloids of jaborandi leaves / by Hooper Albert Dickinson Jowett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    as given by Petit and Polonowsky are generally confirmed with a few exceptions, the most important discrepancy being found in the melting point of the picrate. 2. The optical behaviour of pilocarpine has been thoroughly studied and some of Petit and Polonowsky’s figures have been corrected, although their general conclusions are confirmed. 3. The acid character of pilocarpine has been investigated, and the previous work on this subject by Hardy and Caimels corrected. 4. The existence of a base isomeric with pilocarpine, produced from it by the action of heat or alkali, as previously stated, is confirmed. Since this base is isomeric with, and bears a close relation to pilocarpine, it is proposed to call it isopiloccirpine. It is shown that the base can be distilled unchanged in a vacuum. 5. Some of the physical constants of isopilocarpine and its salts as given by Petit and Polonowsky for Ppiloearpidine are confirmed, and others corrected. 6. Proof is given of the existence of isopilocarpine in jaborandi leaves and in the pilocarpine nitrate of commerce. 7. The existence of the pilocarpidine of Harnack and Merck and their statements regarding its composition are confirmed ; hence the use of the name pilocarpidine for isopilocarpine as suggested by Petit and Polonowsky must be abandoned. Some of the salts of this base are described. 8. The absence of pilocarpidine in the pilocarpine nitrate of com¬ merce and in the varieties of jaborandi leaves at present on the market is proved. 9 The jaborine of Harnack is shown to be a mixture of pilocarp¬ idine, isopilocarpine, and possibly a trace of pilocarpine, with colour¬ ing matter. Ho evidence has been obtained of the existence of an alkaloid with the properties of jaborine, or of other alkaloids than those described in this paper. 10. Several experiments on the constitution of pilocarpine have been repeated and the results of Hardy and Caimels corrected. Further experiments on this subject are in progress. 11. The physiological action of the pure salts and of some deriva¬ tives and other products obtained from jaborandi leaves is being investigated by Prof. C. It. Marshall, of University College, Dundee; a brief abstract of the results obtained is given in this paper. I. Pilocarpine. Salts of Pilocarpine. Pilocarpine Nitrate,, CnH1602N2,HN0s, occurs in well-defined crys¬ tals and was recrystallised repeatedly from alcohol and from water