DELPHIN′INE

Syn. Del′phine , Del′phi a , Delphin′ia . An alkaloid discovered by La aigne and Feneulle in Delphinium staphysagria or stavesacre. Prep. 1. The husked seeds (in powder) are boiled in a little water, and pre ed in a cloth; a little pure magnesia is then added to the filtered decoction, the whole is boiled for a few minutes, and refiltered; the residuum, after being well washed, is digested in boiling alcohol, which di olves out the alkaloid, and gives it up again by gentle evaporation and cooling. 2. The bruised, but unshelled, seeds are digested in dilute sulphuric acid, the filtered liquor precipitated with carbonate of pota a, and the precipitate digested in alcohol as before. 3. (Parrish.) An alcoholic extract of the seeds is treated with dilute sulphuric acid, precipitated with an alkali, again di olved in dilute sulphuric acid; the colouring matter precipitated by a few drops of nitric acid, the alkaloid by pota a. The alkaloid is then di olved in absolute alcohol, and the solution thus formed is evaporated; one pound yields about one drachm. Prop., . A light-yellowish or white, odourle powder; extremely acrid and bitter; scarcely soluble in water; di olves in ether, and readily in alcohol; and has an alkaline reaction. Its alcoholic solution produces a burning and tingling sensation when rubbed on the skin, and a similar sensation is produced in various parts of the body when it is taken in doses of a few grains. It has been exhibited in neuralgia and rheumatism by Dr Turn bull.— Dose , 1 ⁄ 12 gr. every three hours, made into a pill with 1 gr. each of the extracts of henbane and liquorice. It is also used externally under the form of ointment and lotion.