Cellular toxins, or, The chemical factors in the causation of disease / by Victor C. Vaughan... and Frederick G. Novy.
- Victor Clarence Vaughan
- Date:
- 1902
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Cellular toxins, or, The chemical factors in the causation of disease / by Victor C. Vaughan... and Frederick G. Novy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.
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![sodium and potassium bicarbonate, ammonium bitartrate. Ammo- nium chlorid, nitrate, sulphate, carbonate, oxalate, tartrate, are trans- posed to form sodium salts, and the free bases are thrown down. Similar decomposition of the sodium salts of the two bases occurs when placed in urine or in meat extract. For illustrations of the sodium compounds of the two bases see Virchow's Archives, 125, 556. The potassium compounds of heteroxanthin and paraxanthin are well crystallized bodies, of high melting-point, and are more soluble than the sodium compound. Their decompositions are the same as those of the sodium salt. The reaction with sodium is the basis for Salomon's method of recognition of these bases in small quantities of urine. The other two mono-methyl derivatives form soluble sodium compounds. It can thus be distinguished from paraxanthin, the sodium com- pound of which, on similar treatment, yields the characteristic crys- talline form of the free base. This sodium reaction, therefore, distinguishes it at once from xanthin, hypoxanthin, guanin, and paraxanthin. It differs from the latter, as has already been indicated, in the solubility and amorphous character of the free base; in the behavior of the hydrochlorid and the sodium compound, and in not giving a precipitate with picric acid, nor the characteristic odor given by paraxanthin on heating. The physiological action of heteroxanthin has been studied by Kriigerand Salomon (1895). Its action is almost the same as that of paraxanthin (page 403), indicating a close chemical relation. Its action, however, is much less intense. A dose two or three times greater than that of paraxanthin must be injected into frogs to pro- duce the same symptoms. It has a local action producing early con- traction and rigor of the muscles. Its general action is seen in the gradual or rapid paralysis of respiration, according to the dose; in the loss of motion in the extremities, and in the decrease of re- flexes. It is not as marked a diuretic as 3-methyl xanthin (pages 345, 397). Paraxanthin or 1-7-dimethyl xanthin (p. 339), CyIIg]Srp2 5 was first isolated from urine by Thudichum (1879), who named it uro- theobromin. It was again isolated in 1883 by Salomon, who has since shown it to be a constituent of normal urine, although present in exceedingly minute quantity. Thus from 1,200 liters of urine only 1.2 grams (0.0001 per cent.) of this substance were obtained. From 10,000 liters of urine the yield was only 15.31 g., or less than the amount of heteroxanthin (p. 389). It was also isolated in 1893 by Balke. The first synthesis of paraxanthin was effected by Fischer,^ who ^BeHchte, 30, 2408; 31, 2622.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2120505x_0404.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
