The dried ripe seeds of Strychnos nux vomica, yielding when assayed by
the process given below, not less than 1.25 per cent of strychnine.
HABITAT.--The tree is a native of the East Indies, growing in Bengal,
Malabar, on the Coromandel Coast, in Ceylon, in many islands of the
Indian Archipelago, in Cochin-China and in other neighboring countries.
DESCRIPTION.--Orbicular, nearly flat, sometimes irregularly bent, about
three-quarters of an inch in diameter and two in thickness; externally
grayish or greenish-gray, the surface covered with short closely
oppressed, satiny hairs; rounded or somewhat acute at the margin, with a
slight ridge extending from the center of one side to the edge;
internally whitish-gray, horny, very tough, the endosperm in two more or
less regular concavo-convex halves, between which, at one end, lie the
heart-shaped, palmately nerved cotyledons; inodorous; taste intensely
and persistently bitter.
CONSTITUENTS.--Two alkaloids. 1. Strychnine, 0.2-0.6 per cent. 2.
Brucine, 0.5-1.0 per cent. Similar in action to strychnine, but weaker
and slower. Both alkaloids exist in combination with igasuric acid.
Brucine occurs in rectangular octohedral crystals; it is soluble in
alcohol, in 7 parts of chloroform, and possesses a bitter taste. With
sulphuric and nitric acids a beautiful blood-red color is developed.
There are also: 4. Igasuric acid with which strychnine and brucine are
combined. 5. Loganin, an inert glucoside occurring in colorless prisms.
DOSE.--Of the ground seeds, horses and cattle, 1 to 2 dr.; sheep, 20 to
40 gr.; pigs, 10 to 20 gr.; dogs, 1 to 2 gr.