Brucine

Brucine, Brucinum s. Vomicin (CH₃O)₂.C₂₃H₂₆O₄N₂.4H₂O, an alkaloid which is apparently the dimethyl ether of dioxostrychnine. In plants containing strychnine, B. is always found together with it, and even the purest preparations of strychnine are not entirely free from traces of B. B. appears as colorless crystals, melts at 178°, is difficult to dissolve in water (320 parts) and ether, but easily dissolves in alcohol and chloroform; it rotates the plane of polarization to the left. A sensitive reagent for B. is nitric acid, with which it gives a bright red coloration. In its physiological action, B. is completely similar to strychnine; the difference in their action consists only in that B. is significantly (40-50 times) less toxic and has weaker convulsive but stronger paralytic effects. Detection of B. in forensic cases. B. is extracted, along with other alkaloids, by chloroform from an alkaline solution. The reactions of B. are based on its oxidation: concentrated HNO₃ gives a red coloration that turns yellow; concentrated H₂SO₄ containing traces of HNO₃ gives a red coloration that turns yellow. The same colorations are given by Fréde's reagent (solution of ammonium molybdate in concentrated H₂SO₄) and Mandelin's reagent (solution of sodium vanadate in concentrated H₂SO₄); see also Alkaloids and Poisons.