Extraction of Cactus Alkaloids

Fresh cacti, with a water content of 90-95 %, are difficult to handle the juice is not easily separated from the fibers, and the presence of mucilagi- 

The powdered material is extracted following the usual procedure. Extractions of the drug and isolation of the alkaloids from Anhalonium lewinii have been described by Heffter (19), Kauder (68), Tomaso (69), and Spath and Becke (1), as well as by Steiner-Bernier (70) and the extraction of alkaloids from Pilocereus sargentianus and Cereus pecien-aboriginum, by Heyl (24, 25). 

Five hundred grams of dried and powdered material was extracted exhaustively with 95% ethanol acidified with 0.3% of acetic acid. The solvent was removed in vacuo and water was added and evaporated again until 500 cc. of ethanol-free solution remained. The solution, decanted from chlorophyll, waxes, etc., was extracted several times with ether in order to eliminate impurities it was then filtered, made alkaline with excess solid sodium carbonate, the soluble bases extracted exhaustively with ether, and the aqueous solution (A) put aside. The concentrated ether extracts were shaken with strong potassium hydroxide solution, and the ether layer, after washing, was evaporated to dryness thus yielding very small quantities of non-phenolic bases. The alkaline solution was acidified with hydrochloric acid, made alkaline with sodium carbonate, and again extracted with ether. The ether extracts were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and after concentration the hordenine (anhaline) crystallized. The mother liquors yielded more, less pure, hordenine. Total yield 2.5 g. hordenine 0.5% on the dry plant. 

The aqueous solution (A) contained the non-extractable quaternary bases. It was acidified with hydrochloric acid, filtered and precipitated with concentrated Mayer s reagent (50 g. of mercuric chloride, 200 g. of potassium iodide, 400 cc. of water), added with constant stirring. The precipitate was filtered, suspended in hot water, and hydrogen sulfide was bubbled through the suspension until all the mercury was precipitated as sulfide. The hot filtered solution on cooling yielded candicine iodide (hordenine methiodide) in straw-colored needles. The salt was recrystallized from hot water with the aid of charcoal and yielded colorless crystals, which melted at 234°. The mother liquors contained only small amounts of candicine. Total yield 16.4 g. of candicine iodide 2% of candicine on the dry plant. 

Cultivation of Drug and Assoc. Econ. Plants in Calif., Los 

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