On the physiological action of the chinoline and pyridine bases : abstract / by John G. M'Kendrick and James Dewar.

  • McKendrick, John G. (John Gray), 1841-1926.
Date:
[1874]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the physiological action of the chinoline and pyridine bases : abstract / by John G. M'Kendrick and James Dewar. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    [.From the Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 154, 1874.] On the Physiological Action of the Chinoline and Pyridine Bases. By John G. M'Kendrick and James Dewar, Edinburgh. (Abstract.) It is well known that quinine, cinchonine, or strychnine yield, when distilled with caustic potash, two homologous series of bases, named the pyridine and chinoline series. Bases isomeric with these may also be obtained by the destructive distillation of coal, or from Dippel’s oil, got from bone. Greville Williams has pointed out that chinoline obtained from coal-tar differs in some respects from that yielded by cinchonine. In this research the authors endeavoured to ascertain (1) the physio- logical action of the various members of the series; (2) whether there was any difference in this respect between the members of the series obtained from cinchonine and those got from tar ; and (3) whether, and if so, how, both as regards extent and character, the physiological action of these bases differed from that of the original alkaloidal bodies. The bases in both series are difficult to separate from each other; but this has been done as far as possible by repeated fractional distillation. The salt employed was the hydrochlorate. This, dissolved in water, was introduced by a fine syringe under the skin of the animal. The action of chinoline was tested on frogs, mice, rabbits, guineapigs, cats, dogs, and man; but as the effects were found to be similar in all of these instances, the majority of the observations were made on rabbits. The experi- ments with the other substances were made on rabbits and frogs. The physiological action of hvdrochlorate of chinoline was first examined. Its action was then compared with that of the hydrochlorates of the chinoline series of bases distilling at higher temperatures, including such as lepidine, dispoline, tetrahiroline, &c. In the next place, the physiological action of the pyridine series was studied, beginning with pyridine itself, and passing upwards to bases obtained at still higher boiling-points, such as picoline, lutidine, &c. Lastly, the investigation was directed to the action of condensed bases, such as dipyridine, parapi- coline, &c.; and the effects of these substances were compared with those produced by the members of the chinoline series and among themselves. The following are the general conclusions arrived at:— 1. There is a marked gradation in the extent of physiological action of the members of the pyridine series of bases, but it remains of the same kind. The lethal dose becomes reduced as we rise from the lower to the higher. 2. The higher members of the pyridine series resemble in physiologi-