colchiceine

[Lat. colchic ( um ), e connective, and Eng., ., suff. -ine.] Chem.: C17H19NO5. An organic substance isomeric with colchicine, obtained by boiling colchicine with baryta water, or with dilute sulphuric acid. It is obtained in colorle plates, melting at 155°, by recrystallization from alcohol. Colchiceine is soluble in chloroform, alcohol and boiling water. Strong nitric acid gives a yellow color with colchiceine, which turns violet, then again yellow; if the violet solution is diluted with water and soda added, an orange-red color is produced; ferric chloride gives a green color. Concentrated sulphuric acid di olves colchiceine, forming an intense yellow solution; by the addition of a drop of nitric acid it turns violet.