Chinese Journal of Physiology

70 T. QO. CHOU

Its molecular formula corresponds to CopHo30,N or CspH,,0,N. Corydalis G melts also at 237°, but crystallises out in the form of prisms and has a specific rotation of +800°. On account of the small amount of Corydalis G in hand, its molecular formula has not yet been determined. In 1928, Spath, Mosettig and Trothandl (2) isolated from Corydalis tuberosa, corypalmine, a phenolic base, having a melting point 235-236°, a molecular formula C,,H,,0,N anda specific rotation (a) 16/D=+280°. It is consequently identical with Corydalis F in its melting point and molecular formula, but differs from it in its optical activity; whether it is identical with Corydalis G or not has to be further investigated. From fraction 4, a base in the form of its hydrobromide has been isolated and named Corydalis H. It is probably a quarternary base, as its hydrobromide is not decomposed by alkaline carbonates. When treated with barium hydroxide and extracted with chloroform, it gives rise to the formation of a new base which differs from Corydalis H by not giving the same hydrobromide. The other alkaloids present in Chinese Corydalis (Yen-hu-so) are still large in number and can only be fully investigated by working on a large quantity of raw material.

EXPERIMENTAL

(1) Sulphates of Corydalis B.

When Corydalis B was dissolved in a sufficient quantity of hot dilute sulphuric acid, on cooling its acid sulphate crystallised out as needles, m.p. 288°C. It was soluble with difficulty in cold water and strongly acid to litmus. Its neutral sulphate was obtained by treating Corydalis B with a calculated quantity of sulphuric acid in aqueous solution and evaporating the whole to dryness over a water bath. The residue was taken up witha little hot alcohol and set aside. The neutral sulphate crystallised out in the form of six-sided prisms, melting at 220°C. It was easily soluble in cold water, giving rise to a neutral solution.

(2) Corydalis F, CyH.,O, N or C3,H,,0, N.

It consists of the main constituent of fraction 38 which was separated from fraction 2 by means of a dilute solution of caustic soda. The phenolic bases were liberated from the sodium hydroxide solution by treating it with ammonium chloride and extracting with chloroform. The chloroform solution, when dried and distilled, left behind a crude phenolic basic residue. The whole was converted into its hydrobromide