Chemical examination of elaterium and the characters of elaterin / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore.
- Frederick Belding Power
- Date:
- [1909?]
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Chemical examination of elaterium and the characters of elaterin / by Frederick B. Power and Charles W. Moore. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![tion given of elaterin in the British Pharmacopoeia. It melted at 230—231°. A determination of its specific rotatory power gave the following result. 0'2040 in 20 O.c. of chloroform gave av —0° 58' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence (V)d— 47'8°. It was subjected to one crystallisation from absolute alcohol, when a principal fraction was obtained which melted at 231-232°, and constituted about 75-80 per cent, of the whole. This product may be designated as Fraction I., and the remainder of the material, obtained by the evaporation of the mother-liquors, as Fraction II. Fraction 1. (m.p. 231-232°).—0-2030 in 20 C.c. of chloro form gave av—1° 2' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence [u]d—50'9°. Fraction II.—0T170 in 20 C.c. of chloroform gave av —-0° 15' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence [u]d —2T3°. This specimen of English elaterin and the fractions obtained therefrom were submitted to physiological tests, with the following results: — The original elaterin, when administered in an amount of 0T gramme to a dog, produced purgation. Fraction I., when given in amounts of 0T gramme, pro¬ duced no effect, even after twenty-four hours. In doses of 0-005 gramme it also' had no effect on man. Fraction II., in an amount of 007 gramme, produced well- marked purgation. German Elaterin.—This was a white crystalline powder, similar in appearance to the above-described English pro¬ duct. It melted at 223°. A determination of its specific rota¬ tory power gave the following result :— 0 2000 in 20 C.c. of chloroform gave av—0° $9' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence [a]r>—32’5°. It was twice recrystallised from absolute alcohol, when a product was obtained which melted at 229-231°, and consti¬ tuted about 60 per cent, of the whole. This product may be designated as Fraction I., and the remainder of the material, obtained by the evaporation of the mother-liquors, as Frac¬ tion II. Fraction I. (m.p. 229-231°).—0-2025 in 20 C.c. of chloro¬ form gave ar. —1° 1' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence [a]v —50-2°. Fraction II.—O'1720 in 20 C.c. of chloroform gave av + 0° 15' in a 2 dcm. tube, whence [a]D + 14-5°.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30614430_0010.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
