BRUCINE
This alkaloid is present along with strychnine in Nux Vomica seeds and the Ignatius bean. Cases of poisoning by it seldom occur, as the alkaloid is but little known by the public.
Symptoms.—It resembles strychnine in its action but is much less poisonous. It produces death by convulsions when injected subcutaneously, but according to Brunton does not so often produce convulsions when taken into the stomach.
Differential Diagnosis of Strychnine Poisoning from
Tetanus, Hysteria, Epilepsy, and other
Poisons causing Tetanic Spasms.
| Tetanus. | Tetanus from Strychnine. |
|---|---|
| 1. The presence of a wound. | 1. Some solid or liquid |
| Symptoms have no connection | taken within a short time |
| with any liquid or solid | of commencement of symptoms. |
| swallowed. | Not connected with any |
| peculiarity of constitution. | |
| 2. Gradual accession and | 2. Symptoms sudden and |
| progress of the symptoms; | violent. All the muscles are |
| difficulty in swallowing; | affected at one and the same |
| stiffness of the jaws, neck, | time. Arms affected and |
| trunk, legs, and arms. The | hands clenched at the same |
| hands not generally affected. | time as the body and legs. |
| Jaw only affected or fixed | |
| during efforts to swallow. | |
| 3. Curving of the spine forwards | 3. Opisthotonos an early |
| not primarily present; | symptom, generally |
| generally comes on after some | appearing in a few minutes. |
| days of previous illness. | |
| 4. Symptoms may undergo | 4. Intervals of complete |
| abatement, but there is no | intermission. |
| perfect intermission. | |
| 5. Death after the lapse of | 5. Death usually occurs in |
| several hours or days. Direct | two hours, or even less |
| injury to spinal cord may give | than a quarter of an hour. |
| rise to tetanus and death in | Recovery in a few hours. |
| a few hours. Recovery slow. |
| Hysteria. | Epilepsy. | Tetanus occurring During the Action of other Poisons. |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Connected with | 1. Previous | 1. The presence of |
| a peculiar | history of | other symptoms of |
| constitution. | epilepsy. | poisoning peculiar |
| to certain poisons. | ||
| 2. The presence of | 2. Presence of the | |
| known stigmata | aura epileptica. | |
| of hysteria. | The tongue bitten; | Obs.—Arsenic, |
| and insensibility | antimony, and | |
| lasting for | other irritant | |
| some time. | poisons may | |
| 3. The spasms | 3. Alternate | sometimes cause |
| frequently | contraction and | tetanic spasms; |
| convulsive, and | relaxation of | but other symptoms |
| alternating with | the muscles. | are present which |
| stiffness of the | point to the nature | |
| muscles. Loss | of the poison. | |
| of consciousness. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. Never fatal. | 5. Seldom fatal | |
| Recovery very | during first | |
| rapid. | attack. |
Fig. 45.—Photo-micrograph of
crystals of brucine sulphate, × 50.
(R. J. M. Buchanan.)
Fig. 46.—Photo-micrograph of
crystals of brucine sulphate, × 50.
(R. J. M. Buchanan.)
Chemical Analysis.—The alkaloid may be extracted from organic admixture by the usual methods. Its reactions to special tests are as follows:
1. If nitric acid be added to the solid alkaloid, or in aqueous solution, a bright red colour is produced which changes to yellow on heating. The addition of stannous chloride or sulphide of ammonium to the acid solution after cooling changes it to violet; the colour is discharged by excess of the stannous chloride. If the red acid solution be largely diluted with water, a yellow precipitate falls, soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. If the filtrate from the yellow precipitate be neutralised by ammonia and calcium chloride added, a precipitate of calcium oxalate forms, insoluble in acetic but soluble in hydrochloric acid. This reaction is peculiar to brucine.
2. With sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate a deep orange-red colour is produced.
3. Sulphomolybdic acid gives an orange-red or purplish-red colour, changing to blue.
4. Blyth‘s Test.—If methyl iodide be added to a solution of brucine in strong alcohol, circular rosettes of crystals form in a few minutes. Strychnine does not give this reaction.
Treatment.—Same as for strychnine.