MR. BROUGHTON'S RESEARCHES INTO THE CHEMISTRY OF THE CINCHONAS. In somo
experiments with infusions of Darjeeling and Ootacamund, it
cinchonas at
the leaves of the was
decided that
there existed in the leaves, substances
possessing antiperiodio
Dr. Anderson, after
the trial of these infu-
powers.
a
report of
sions in cases of malarious fevers had been furnished him Dr.
Simpson,
Civil
Surgeon
of
Darjeeling, propounded
by the
theory that the alkaloids were first formed and elaborated in the leaves, and subsequently conveyed in tlio circulation of the juices, to bo deposited in bark of the cinchonas. This important and interesting discovery has received remarkable confirmation by Mr. Broughton, the quinologist, residing at Ootacamund. This gentleman has now concluded his investigation into the question of the existence of the alkaloids in the leaves. From twenty pounds of the leaves of cinchona succirubra, ho succeeded in separating 0372 gramme of alkaloid, of which 0153 was quinine. This quinine yieldod 0 070 gramme of crystallized sulphate. Further, after considerable labour, he was enabled to obtain irrefragable evidence of the presenco of chinchonidine and cinchonine, which were isolated in well-marked microscopic crystals. The proportionate amount of tlio alkaloids crown barks is tabulated below :?
in tho red and
RED.
Dried
Fresh leaves.
leaves.
Total Alkaloids
00011
"ooir"
Quinine
0-0016 00025
0-0080 o-oiw
0-00078
00037
Cinchouidine and Cinchonine
Quinine Sulphate
in
Crystals
May 2, 1870.]
RESEARCHES INTO THE CHEMISTRY OF THE CINCHONAS. CKOWN. I'resli leaves.
Dried leaves.
Total Alkaloids
0-0035
0-0111
Quinine
O'OOlo
0-005
and Cinclionino
...
00020
0006
Quinine Sulphate in Crystals
...
0-0008
0-002
Cinclionidino
The circumstanco of the existence of several
important
alkaloids in tlio leaves "in so definite a manner is one of considerable interestbut continues Mr. Brougliton, " as a source of supply it obviously is of no practical value. The state of their occurrencc is different to that in -which they are found in the aud it is difficult and laborious to obtain them in a
bark,
The quantity is very small in amount, and certainly gives no support to the impression so often stated as a fact (on slight grounds) that the leaves are an effective febrifuge. According to tho above, it would take many pounds of leaves to pure state.
be equal to
a
dose of
quinine."
Much as wo would like to liavo been able to report tho existence of largo quantities of tho alkaloids in tho leaves, tho minute proportion discovered in them is, perhaps, after all, a subject for congratulation. Tho notion that these principles wero to bo found in the leaves in sufficient abundanco to "warrant us in entertaining tho belief that infusions prepared from them constituted of malarious
fevers,
powerful antiperiodics
has been
in tho treatment
attended with disastrous
results
sooner in many private disseminated, plantations. It was no than it became known to the coolies working on the estates; and these helped themselves liberally in
swarthy gentlemen and using them for tho management of tho marsh fevers affecting themselves and their families. When it is recollected that tho leaves aro tho lungs and digestive system
plucking the leaves, ?f the
that was thus done struggling cinchonas, tho damage cultivation in India and
at tho commencement of cinchona
other countries, can well bo imagined. This systematic impoverishment of many young plantations, carried on in spite tho false impression of the most careful supervision, under that the leaves were powerful antipcriodics, has now, -we hope,
received its death-blow, from the facts elucidated in Mr.
Eroughton's lucid and comprehensive report.
The leaves arc, however, rich in quinovin, to which tho bitterness of their infusions is mainly due. As a pure bitter to be ranked with tho activc principles of quassia, gentian and
doubt occupy an important place in somo We are glad to note that tho therapeutic power of quinovin has been submitted, for experiment, to tho medical authorities in Madras. It is curious to note ;that tho beautiful and sccnted blossoms of tlio cinchonas contain a definite proportion of quinovin, but that they arc altogether devoid of alkaloids. Mr. Brougliton has also been engaged in analysing tho wood of tlio cinchonas for alkaloids. The wood of when dried was found to contain
cI?eyretta,
this will
no
future British pharmacopoeia.
C.
officinalis
O'OlOl per cent, of total alkaloids, of which O'OOl was quinine. This wood does not appear to bo of any account as a source of alkaloid, as it docs not contain a tenth of the amount found in
the
woody
C. succirubra.
m
Mr. Broughton bears his weighty testimony to the good quality of the Indian cinchona barks generally. He says : " I have had many opportunities of examining barks grown in the various parts of India on private and Government plantations. In almost every case the quality has been satisfactory. The C. succirubra appears to flourish almost everywhere, and to produce a bark containing abundance of febrifuge alkaloids. Generally speaking, I find the barks somewhat thinner than those of a similar age on the Government Neilglierry plantations, and rather less quinine and more colouring matter and yielding
resin?qualities
doubtless
resulting
from the less elevated sites
of their witli have
growth. The crown barks appear to enjoy less favor the cultivators; but the few specimens I have received always been of good quality. The satisfactory quality of
the barks of C. succirubra in all South India
localities,
where
the tree will grow at all, appears to be certain ; and this statement may in all probability be still further generalized." The truth of this last remark is
proved by the unequalled growth of Darjeeling. There is no plantation in Southern India of the same age which can approach this for richness, rapidity and quantity of growth. Mr. Broughton enters into particulars regarding the best plan for drying the cinchona barks. The general conditions to be fulfilled in drying the bark as indicated by the results are?to dry it at a low temperature, as quickly as possible, and without prolonged exposure. The alkaloids are associated in the bark with a peculiar tamin, the so-called quino-tannic acid. This under a high temperature absorbs oxygen, and unites with the alkaloid to form a compound, which is frequently decom" Thus, a sample, which posed with great difficulty by acids. when green yielded 352 per cent, of alkaloid, after two days' exposure to a steam-heat, gave but 1'92 per cent." Again, " if bark be exposed to a temperature much exceeding 100? C., the alkaloids become altered, and lose their property of crystallization, so that the bark becomes worthless. The next point dwelt upon by Mr. Broughton is the influence of seasons upon the deposition of the alkaloid -with a view to the
Rishap plantation
near
determine the most situable
ing
of the bark.
The
season
of the year for the harvest-
result of this
important inquiry
con-
ducted with every care and precaution to eliminate all possible sources of error, is that the maximum yield is in May and OctoThere appears to be no practical reason why a compromise should not be made between slightly opposing grounds of quality and convenience, and why the wide period between November and May should not bo that of bark harvest" in ber.
"
Darjeeling, Dr. Anderson has already decided, on botanical grounds, that October and November are the best months for stripping, collecting and drying the bark. Southern India.
At
fully coincide with the Madras Government that Mr. Broughton's experiments on the leaves, blossoms, and wood of his remarks on the the cinchona tree are highly interesting, and the proper time and bark the of regarding best system drying will prove of great value to all of tho year for collecting it, "
We
who
are
connected with the cultivation."
experiments with infusions of Darjeeling and Ootacamund, it
cinchonas at
the leaves of the was
decided that
there existed in the leaves, substances
possessing antiperiodio
Dr. Anderson, after
the trial of these infu-
powers.
a
report of
sions in cases of malarious fevers had been furnished him Dr.
Simpson,
Civil
Surgeon
of
Darjeeling, propounded
by the
theory that the alkaloids were first formed and elaborated in the leaves, and subsequently conveyed in tlio circulation of the juices, to bo deposited in bark of the cinchonas. This important and interesting discovery has received remarkable confirmation by Mr. Broughton, the quinologist, residing at Ootacamund. This gentleman has now concluded his investigation into the question of the existence of the alkaloids in the leaves. From twenty pounds of the leaves of cinchona succirubra, ho succeeded in separating 0372 gramme of alkaloid, of which 0153 was quinine. This quinine yieldod 0 070 gramme of crystallized sulphate. Further, after considerable labour, he was enabled to obtain irrefragable evidence of the presenco of chinchonidine and cinchonine, which were isolated in well-marked microscopic crystals. The proportionate amount of tlio alkaloids crown barks is tabulated below :?
in tho red and
RED.
Dried
Fresh leaves.
leaves.
Total Alkaloids
00011
"ooir"
Quinine
0-0016 00025
0-0080 o-oiw
0-00078
00037
Cinchouidine and Cinchonine
Quinine Sulphate
in
Crystals
May 2, 1870.]
RESEARCHES INTO THE CHEMISTRY OF THE CINCHONAS. CKOWN. I'resli leaves.
Dried leaves.
Total Alkaloids
0-0035
0-0111
Quinine
O'OOlo
0-005
and Cinclionino
...
00020
0006
Quinine Sulphate in Crystals
...
0-0008
0-002
Cinclionidino
The circumstanco of the existence of several
important
alkaloids in tlio leaves "in so definite a manner is one of considerable interestbut continues Mr. Brougliton, " as a source of supply it obviously is of no practical value. The state of their occurrencc is different to that in -which they are found in the aud it is difficult and laborious to obtain them in a
bark,
The quantity is very small in amount, and certainly gives no support to the impression so often stated as a fact (on slight grounds) that the leaves are an effective febrifuge. According to tho above, it would take many pounds of leaves to pure state.
be equal to
a
dose of
quinine."
Much as wo would like to liavo been able to report tho existence of largo quantities of tho alkaloids in tho leaves, tho minute proportion discovered in them is, perhaps, after all, a subject for congratulation. Tho notion that these principles wero to bo found in the leaves in sufficient abundanco to "warrant us in entertaining tho belief that infusions prepared from them constituted of malarious
fevers,
powerful antiperiodics
has been
in tho treatment
attended with disastrous
results
sooner in many private disseminated, plantations. It was no than it became known to the coolies working on the estates; and these helped themselves liberally in
swarthy gentlemen and using them for tho management of tho marsh fevers affecting themselves and their families. When it is recollected that tho leaves aro tho lungs and digestive system
plucking the leaves, ?f the
that was thus done struggling cinchonas, tho damage cultivation in India and
at tho commencement of cinchona
other countries, can well bo imagined. This systematic impoverishment of many young plantations, carried on in spite tho false impression of the most careful supervision, under that the leaves were powerful antipcriodics, has now, -we hope,
received its death-blow, from the facts elucidated in Mr.
Eroughton's lucid and comprehensive report.
The leaves arc, however, rich in quinovin, to which tho bitterness of their infusions is mainly due. As a pure bitter to be ranked with tho activc principles of quassia, gentian and
doubt occupy an important place in somo We are glad to note that tho therapeutic power of quinovin has been submitted, for experiment, to tho medical authorities in Madras. It is curious to note ;that tho beautiful and sccnted blossoms of tlio cinchonas contain a definite proportion of quinovin, but that they arc altogether devoid of alkaloids. Mr. Brougliton has also been engaged in analysing tho wood of tlio cinchonas for alkaloids. The wood of when dried was found to contain
cI?eyretta,
this will
no
future British pharmacopoeia.
C.
officinalis
O'OlOl per cent, of total alkaloids, of which O'OOl was quinine. This wood does not appear to bo of any account as a source of alkaloid, as it docs not contain a tenth of the amount found in
the
woody
C. succirubra.
m
Mr. Broughton bears his weighty testimony to the good quality of the Indian cinchona barks generally. He says : " I have had many opportunities of examining barks grown in the various parts of India on private and Government plantations. In almost every case the quality has been satisfactory. The C. succirubra appears to flourish almost everywhere, and to produce a bark containing abundance of febrifuge alkaloids. Generally speaking, I find the barks somewhat thinner than those of a similar age on the Government Neilglierry plantations, and rather less quinine and more colouring matter and yielding
resin?qualities
doubtless
resulting
from the less elevated sites
of their witli have
growth. The crown barks appear to enjoy less favor the cultivators; but the few specimens I have received always been of good quality. The satisfactory quality of
the barks of C. succirubra in all South India
localities,
where
the tree will grow at all, appears to be certain ; and this statement may in all probability be still further generalized." The truth of this last remark is
proved by the unequalled growth of Darjeeling. There is no plantation in Southern India of the same age which can approach this for richness, rapidity and quantity of growth. Mr. Broughton enters into particulars regarding the best plan for drying the cinchona barks. The general conditions to be fulfilled in drying the bark as indicated by the results are?to dry it at a low temperature, as quickly as possible, and without prolonged exposure. The alkaloids are associated in the bark with a peculiar tamin, the so-called quino-tannic acid. This under a high temperature absorbs oxygen, and unites with the alkaloid to form a compound, which is frequently decom" Thus, a sample, which posed with great difficulty by acids. when green yielded 352 per cent, of alkaloid, after two days' exposure to a steam-heat, gave but 1'92 per cent." Again, " if bark be exposed to a temperature much exceeding 100? C., the alkaloids become altered, and lose their property of crystallization, so that the bark becomes worthless. The next point dwelt upon by Mr. Broughton is the influence of seasons upon the deposition of the alkaloid -with a view to the
Rishap plantation
near
determine the most situable
ing
of the bark.
The
season
of the year for the harvest-
result of this
important inquiry
con-
ducted with every care and precaution to eliminate all possible sources of error, is that the maximum yield is in May and OctoThere appears to be no practical reason why a compromise should not be made between slightly opposing grounds of quality and convenience, and why the wide period between November and May should not bo that of bark harvest" in ber.
"
Darjeeling, Dr. Anderson has already decided, on botanical grounds, that October and November are the best months for stripping, collecting and drying the bark. Southern India.
At
fully coincide with the Madras Government that Mr. Broughton's experiments on the leaves, blossoms, and wood of his remarks on the the cinchona tree are highly interesting, and the proper time and bark the of regarding best system drying will prove of great value to all of tho year for collecting it, "
We
who
are
connected with the cultivation."
