DeSanctis’ pills are round, uncoated, and have a light brown color. There was some variation in the color of different lots, one lot in particular being gray rather than brown. A little arrowroot starch was found in each box, this evidently having been used as a dusting powder. The pills were very hard, rather brittle, but quite difficult to powder. The pills were not readily disintegrated by water or diluted acids, even when warmed, but when warmed with a dilute sodium hydroxid solution they readily disintegrated.
Ten pills weighed 3.213 gm., an average of 0.3213 gm., or 5 grains. The arrowroot starch used as a dusting powder was removed as completely as possible by rolling the pills in a cloth. Several dozen pills were then powdered and the powder thus obtained used for the analysis.
A microscopic examination of the powder showed powdered colchicum seed in abundance and also traces of arrowroot starch, no doubt from that used as the dusting powder.
Since colchicum seed was so abundant, the powder was assayed by the U. S. Pharmacopeial method for colchicum seed (U. S. P. IX, p. 120), slightly modified so that less of the powdered pills than directed there could be used. In one assay 3.75 gm. gave 0.0204 gm. of colchicin or 0.54 per cent. In a duplicate, 5 gm. gave 0.0234 gm. of colchicin or 0.47 per cent.; average 0.5 per cent.
The alkaloid obtained had the characteristic appearance and odor of colchicin when separated from the seed under these conditions. The solution in water and acid was yellow; the aqueous solution was intensely bitter, and the yellow color intensified with acids. The dry residue became intensely yellow with concentrated sulphuric acid; with nitric acid it became violet turning to yellow, and with concentrated sulphuric acid and potassium nitrate it gave a yellowish green color, turning to violet and finally to a wine color. All these reactions are typical of colchicin.
From 1 gm. of the powdered pills there was obtained 0.0425 gm. of ash, or 4.25 per cent.
When the powdered pills were extracted with chloroform in a Soxhlet apparatus, a very uniform quantity of extract was obtained. From 5 gm. there was obtained, in one case, 0.581 gm.; in another, 0.5755 gm., and in a third, 0.588 gm., the average being 0.5815 gm. or 11.63 per cent.
On still further extracting with alcohol, a small amount of extractive was obtained, the amount depending on the length of time the extraction was continued.
On extracting with hot water the residue left after exhaustion with chloroform and with alcohol, a further extract was obtained. In one case, it amounted to 0.4763 gm. or 9.53 per cent., and in another case it amounted to 0.470 gm., or 9.40 per cent.; average 9.47 per cent.
In attempting to dry the pills or the above-mentioned chloroformic extract at 100 C., a crystalline sublimate was obtained which had the odor of benzoic acid. The crystals were acid, their neutral solution gave a flesh-colored precipitate with ferric chlorid, and they melted at 120–121 C. This crystalline substance appeared to be benzoic acid.