[542] “The Action of Jaborandi on the Heart,” by J. N. Langley, B.A., Journ. Anat. and Physiol., vol. x. p. 187.
X.—Taxine.
§ 499. Properties of Taxine.—The leaves and berries, and probably other portions of the yew tree (Taxus baccata), are poisonous. The poison is alkaloidal, and was first separated by Marmé.
Taxine (C37H52O10N).—Taxine cannot be obtained in crystals, but as a snow-white amorphous powder, scarcely soluble in water, but dissolving in alcohol, in ether, and in chloroform; insoluble in benzene. It melts at 82°, gives an intense purple-red, with sulphuric acid, and colours Fröhde’s reagent reddish-violet.
A slightly acid aqueous solution of the alkaloid gives precipitates with all the group reagents and with picric acid.
The salts are soluble in water; the hydrochloride may be obtained by passing gaseous HCl into anhydrous ether. The platinichloride forms a yellow micro-crystalline powder (C37H52O10N)2H2PtCl6. The salts are generally difficult to crystallise.[543]
[543] A. Hilger and F. Brande, Ber., xxiii. 464-468.