Remarks on the Use of Piperine. 335 



the alcohol, and the absence of the muriatic acid, will be de- 

 posited in yellowish transparent crystals. The crystals may 

 be obtained perfectly colorless, by observing great care in sep- 

 arating the oil and resin, but as there is no disadvantage in 

 the color, the additional trouble and expense would not be 

 compensated. The piperine, in a colorless state, is insipid 

 and inodorous ; but united with as much resin as enters into 

 its crystallization, its taste is extremely powerful, possessing in 

 an intense degree, all the heat and acrimony of the pepper, 

 with considerable of its odour, and I think is a more active 

 preparation than the former, it was in this form exhibited in 

 the treatment of the cases above described. I have obtained 

 larger crystals, by employing sulphuric sether as a menstruum, 

 instead of alcohol. 



The crystals of piperine are transparent, of a straw color, 

 and assume the tetrahedral prismatic form, with oblique sum- 

 mits ; I have obtained them larger than the ordinary crystals 

 of sulphat of magnesia. 



Extract of Black Pepper. 



Digest eight ounces of black pepper coarsely ground, in 

 four pints of diluted alcohol, for four days, occasionally sub- 

 mitting it to a temperature near ebullition in a water bath, 

 filter and evaporate to the consistence of an extract. This 

 is found also to be an active remedy in intermittent, in doses 

 of two or three grains. In a soft state it has proved very 

 convenient to give consistency to peperine or quinine for the 

 formation of pills, while at the same time it increases their 

 activity, particularly the latter ; it is certainly preferable to 

 conserve of roses, or gum arabic, which enlarge the pill 

 without increasing the effect. 



The extract of pepper in every formula I have seen, is direc- 

 ted to be prepared with water. This forms a much less ac- 

 tive preparation and possesses several inconveniences, to 

 which the above is not subject. 



I have employed the white and black peppers in the above 

 preparations, and although it is stated that the white pepper 

 is milder than the black, I have found it to yield more pipe- 

 rine and an extract of much more acrimony and activity, and 

 to contain much less coloring matter. 



The constituent principles of pepper, are peperine, oil, 

 resin, extract, coloring and fecular matters. 



The above preparations, may be procured from Charles 

 Marshall, Druggist, 221 Market-street, Philadelphia. 



