NOTES [Vol. 85 with ammonia solution at pH 9.4 was found to have an anticholinesterase activity corresponding to about twice the amount of solanine found in it by the spectrophotometric method.4
DISCUSSION OF RESULTSThe anticholinesterase effect of potato j uice appears to have an approximate direct relationship to the solanine content of the potato as determined by the spectrophotometric method. Our experience with potatoes known to be poisonous to humans has been limited to one sample, and clearly no general theory or conclusions can be based on it. We have, however, thought it proper to publish these observations in view of the obvious rarity of occasions when suitable materials and techniques are available for making and comparing the three types of observation, i.e., toxicity, solanine content and anticholinesterase activity. None of the methods is specific for solanine, and the results cannot therelfore prove or disprove Pokrovsky's implied contention that the antiesterase effect of the potatci is principally due to solanine. However, the results indica,te that, contrary to the findings of Orgall, Vaidya and Dahm, over 90 per cent. of the total anti-esterase activity is precipitated a t pH 9.4.Permission to publish this Note has been given by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. We thank the Director of the Public Health Laboratory Service for providing the material that led to this investigation.
Benzene hexachloride may be separated from mixtures with most other substances by treatment with fuming sulphuric acid on a kieselguhr column. A method employing this device for the determination of y-isomer in complex formulations and a method of making the nitromethane-silica partition chromatographic column from readily available materials are described.
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