A phyto-pharmacological study of some isomers

Abstract

A phyto-pharmacological study was carried out much in the same way as the effects of cocaine were studied by Macht and Livingston. The influence of a number of isomeric drugs was studied on the roots of lupinus albus. The following structural chemical isomers were examined: normal propyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, primary butyl alcohol and secondary butyl alcohol; primary amyl alcohol and secondary amyl alcohol. It was found in every case that the normal or primary alcohols were more toxic to the growth of the lupine than the corresponding secondary alcohols.The following stereo-isomers were examined: laevogyrous camphor, dextrogyrous camphor and optically inactive camphor; quinin and quinidin; cinchonin and cinchonidin. It was found that laevogyrous camphor was more toxic than the dextro variety, while the inactive camphor produced an effect equivalent to the mean of the other two. Quinin (sulphate) which is laevogyrous was found to be more toxic than quinidin (sulphate) which is its dextrogyrous iso...