Licence: In copyright
Credit: The plant alkaloids / by Thomas Anderson Henry. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![The principal properties of these isomerides are shown in the following table : Name Boiliug-poiut Melting- point of aurichloride Specific rotation, [«]d Relative density Amino- character a-Coniceine 158° 196° + 18-4° 0-8930 at 15° Tertiary |8-Coniceine f 168° \(m.p. 41°) 1 122-5° - 52-99° 0-8519 at 50° Secondary 7-Coniceine 171°-172° 69° inactive 0-8825 at 22-5° Secondary Tertiary Z-5-Coniceiiie 158° 207° Imvorota- 0-896 at 23° tory i-5-Coniceine 101° 192° inactive 0-904 at 15° Tertiary Tertiary e-Coniceine 150°-151° 178° + 42-34° 0-8836 at 15° composed of f2-methylconi- 1 dine and 151°-154° 167°-168° -H 67-4° 0-8856 at 15° Tertiary 1 *5o-2-methyl- 143°-145° 198°-199° - 87-34° 0-8624 at 15° Tertiary t oonidine ^-Coniceine 171°-172° (oily) -P 122-6° 0-8776 at 15° Secondary PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF HEMLOCK ALKALOIDS All the alkaloids contained in hemlock are poisonous. They produce paralysis of the motor nerve terminations and stimulation followed by depression of the central nervous system, though some authorities maintain that they exert little or no central action. They cause nausea and vomiting at an early stage of their action. In frogs they have a curare-like action on motor nerve terminations, but in mammals this is exhibited to a much less extent. Large doses cause slowing of the heart’s action. Respiration is generally accelerated and deepened at first, but eventually becomes slow and laboured and finally ceases, while the heart is still strong and con- sciousness has just disappeared. According to Albahary and Loffler d- and Lconiines are identical in physiological activity. By the introduction of a double linking, as in y-coniceine, the toxicity is greatly increased, whilst by the insertion of a hydroxyl group, as in the conhydrines, it is reduced.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2196189x_0046.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
