Jimsonweed - Datura Stramonium

Jimsonweed - Datura Stramonium

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We do offer the best quality of jimsonweed - datura stramonium ----constituents---stramonium leaves contain the same alkaloids as belladonna, but in somewhat smaller proportion, the average of commercial samples being about 0.22 per cent: The percentage may, however, rise to as much as 0.4 per cent. The mid-rib and footstalk of the leaf contain a far larger proportion than the blade. It is generally considered that the main stems and the root contain little alkaloid, and should, therefore, not be present in the drug. The american journal of pharmacy(january1919) directs attention to the fact that if the stems could be utilized, the cost of labour in harvesting a crop of stramonium would be only onefourth or one-fifth of what it is where the leaves alone are gathered, since machinery for the purpose could be employed. Dr. G. B. Koch, of the biological laboratories of the h. K. Mulford co. Philadelphia, has been making careful experiments on the relative value of the stem and root of this plant, and has arrived at the following conclusions:1. The whole plant, either with or without the root, can be harvested and used for the commercial preparations without fear of the total alkaloid content falling below 0.25 per cent, which is the desired standard of the united states pharmacopoeia.2. The total mydriatic(pupil-dilating)alkaloids of the leaf and secondary stems when analysed individually, or the leaves with 10 per cent of the secondary stems, run much higher than the united states pharmacopoeia requirement.3. Of the whole plant, including stem, root and leaf, the leaf represents about 41 per cent.4. Excluding the root, the ratio of the leaf to the stem is about 47.5 to 52.3 per cent.In general it has been found that fresh parts yielded more alkaloid than the dried parts. The alkaloid consists chiefly of hyoscyamine, associated with atropine and hyoscine(scopolamine)malic acid also being present. The daturin formerly described as a constituent is now known to be a mixture of hyoscyamine and atropine. The leaves also yield 17 to 20 per cent of ash, and are rich in potassium nitrate, to which, doubtless, part of the antispasmodic effects are due, and they contain also a trace of volatile oil, gum, resin, starch, and other unimportant substances.Seeds. Except that they contain about 25 per cent of fixed oil, the constituents of the seeds are practically the same as those of the leaves, though considered to contain a much greater proportion of alkaloid, which renders them more powerful than the leaves. But the presence of the large amount of fixed oil makes it difficult to extract the alkaloids or to make stable preparations and the leaves have, therefore, greatly taken the place of the seeds.