XVI.—On the Alkaloids contained in the Wood of the Bebeeru or Greenheart Tree (Nectandra Rodiœi, Schomb.)

Extract

In a paper read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh in April 1843, Dr Maclagan described the general properties of the alkaloid, whose presence had been indicated in the bark of the bebeeru or greenheart tree, by Dr Rodie of Demerara, and described the mode of preparation of its sulphate for medicinal use. The fact that bebeerine appeared to possess marked antiperiodic properties, rendered its careful chemical study desirable, and accordingly the alkaloid, purified as far as possible, was subjected to analysis by Drs Maclagan and Tilley. It resulted from this research that bebeerine is an uncrystallisable base, very soluble in alcohol, less so in ether, and very sparingly so in water. It forms with acids salts which are all uncrystallisable. With perchloride of gold, mercury, copper, and platinum, it gives precipitates which are soluble to a certain extent in water and alcohol, but which are deposited in a non-crystalline form when the solution cools. To this base the author assigned the formula C₃₅H₂₀N₂O₆(C = 6). Von Planta subsequently attempts to purify further the alkaloid, and assigned to it the formula C₃₆H₂₁O₆N(C = 6) or C₁₈H₂₁O₃N(C = 12.)