Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/338

258 Very similar to the Japanese S. Japonica, Thumb., but the flowers are 4-merous in that species.

A poisonous alkaloid, Skimmianine, has been found to be present in all parts of Skimmia Japonica, but most abundantly in the leaves. .It was isolated from the latter by extracting with 96 per cent, alcohol. Skimmianine, C32 H29 O9 N3, crystallises from alcohol, in yellow, four-sided prisms, melts at 175.5,° and is readily soluble in chloroform or alcohol, moderately so in methyl alcohol, very sparingly so in ether, amyl alcohol, or carbon disulphide, and insoluble in water or light petroleum. All the solutions are neutral to litmus. The solutions of the base are almost tasteless, but those of the salts are very bitter.

Injection of skimmianine into the femoral lymphatics of Rana eseulenta or Rana temporaria affects the appearance of the muscles at the place of application, and renders them stiff and brittle. The neighbouring muscles are also affected by larger doses. Voluntary motion becomes sluggish, the breathing superficial, and the pupils contract. Reflex sensibility appeared as a rule to increase only in the case of Rana esculenta. The absolute strength, and the work performed by the muscles, were apparently diminished. The alkoloid has probably a direct action on the muscles of the heart, decreasing the pulsations and causing disturbance of the diastole. The pulse is similarly affected, even when atropine has been previously administered. Intravenous injection, in the case of rabbits, causes general symptoms of poisoning. Slight poisoning is accompanied by feeble spasms. The pressure of the blood falls even when chloral has been administered, but after a time it increases again, probably owing to the compensating contraction of the peripheral vessels. Skimmianine has no effect on the secretion of urine.

(I.Honda Chem Centr. 1904. II., 15-11-1512)

J. Ch. S. LXXXVIII., pt II., p. 152.

It is probable that the same alkaloid is also present in the Indian species, which deserves careful examination. At my request, Mr. Satis Chandra Deb, M.A, Professor of Chemistry, Muir Central College, Allahabad, analysed the leaves of the plant, from which he obtained an alkaloid, but it was not in sufficiently large quantity to determine its nature. B.D B.

Vern. -. — (Sinhalese) Akenda.

Habitat : — Sikkim Himalaya, in hot valleys; Khasia Mountains; Assam ; Chittagong ; Eastern Peninsula ; Western Peninsula, on the Ghats, from Concan to Travancore. Ceylon, moist regions, from sea-level up to 5,000ft.; common in Malaya and Cochin-China.