December 7,1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
441 
THE EXTRACTS CONTAINING 
CHLOROPHYLL.* 
BY J. B. BARNES. 
Iii the last London Pharmacopoeia it is directed 
that the extracts of aconite, belladonna, hemlock, 
henbane, and lettuce are to be prepared by 
evaporating the juice of the leaves unstrained to a 
proper consistence. 
The British Pharmacopoeia directs the juice to be 
heated to 1-30° F. “ Separate the green colouring 
matter upon a calico filter ; heat the strained liquor 
to 200° F. to coagulate the albumen, and again filter; 
evaporate the filtrate by moans of a water-bath to 
the consistence of thin syrup; and then add to it 
the green colouring matter previously separated, 
and stirring the whole together assiduously, con¬ 
tinue the evaporation at a temperature not exceed¬ 
ing 140° F., until the extract is of a proper con¬ 
sistence.” 
This is an improvement upon the old method, for 
the presence of the albumen not unfrequently set 
up fermentation, nitrous acid was evolved, and 
nitrites and nitrates formed in the extracts, probably 
at the expense of the active principles. 
With the view of ascertaining if any further im¬ 
provement can be effected in these preparations, I 
have made a series of weighings of the insoluble 
colouring matter contained in different samples of 
these extracts, obtained from some of the principal 
pharmaceutical establishments in London. The 
results are as follows :— 
EXTRACT OF ACONITE. 
Sample 3 Quantity Amount of Chlorophyll 
1 employed. obtained. 
No. 1 . . . 100 grains . . . 1-5 grains. 
No. 2 . . . 100 grains ... 4* grains. 
No. 3 . . . ICO grains . . . 4‘ grains. 
No. 1 was of the consistence of thick treacle, the 
filtration went on rapidly and satisfactorily, but Nos. 
2 and 3 took some days to filter, and it was found 
that when warm water was employed in washing out 
the extract, the filtrate on cooling became turbid; 
consequently weighings were made of the insoluble 
matter which had been washed with cold distilled 
water; they were both firm enough to roll into 
pills. 
EXTRACT OF BELLADONNA. 
Samples. 
No. 1 . . 
No. 2 . . 
No. 3 . . 
No. 4 . . 
Quantity Amount of Chlorophyll 
employed. obtained. 
100 grains ... 14 grains. 
100 grains ... 17 grains. 
100 grains ... 18 grains. 
100 grains . . . 15’5 grains. 
All these were good firm extracts. 
EXTRACT OF HEMLOCK. 
Samples. 
No. 1 
No. 2 
No. 3 
No. 4 
No. 5 
Quantity 
employed. 
100 grains 
100 grains 
100 grains 
100 grains 
100 grains 
Amount of Chlorophyll 
obtained. 
. . 14 grains. 
. . 9 grains. 
. . 16 grains. 
. . 15 grains. 
. . 8 grains. 
Nos. 1 , 2, 3, and 4, were tolerably firm, but No. 5 
was unusually soft. 
* Read at the Evening Meeting of the Pharmaceutical 
Society of Great Britain, December 4, 1872. 
Third Series, No. 128. 
EXTRACT OF HENBANE. 
Samples. 
No. 1 
No. 2 
No. 3 
No. 4 
Quantity Amount of Chlorophyll 
employed. obtained. 
100 grains ... 16 grains. 
100 grains . . . 11-5 grains. 
100 grains . . . 18-5 grains. 
100 grains ... 14 grains. 
The consistence of the samples was good. 
EXTRACT OF WILD LETTUCE. 
Samples Quantity Amount of Chlorophyll 
* ’ employed. obtained. 
No. 1 . . . 100 grains ... 13 grains. 
No. 2 . . . 100 grains ... 1 grain. 
No. 3 . . . 100 grains ... 1 grain. 
No. 4 . . . 100 grains . . . 9*5 grains. 
Nos. 1 and 4 were tolerably firm, but Nos. 2 and 3 
were of the consistence of thick treacle. 
In these experiments, excepting Nos. 2 and 3 of 
extract of aconite, the colouring matter was separated 
by dissolving the extracts in hot distilled water; 
transferred to tared filters, they were washed with 
warm distilled water until the latter passed through 
colourless ; the chlorophyll was then dried in an air 
bath at 100 C. until the weight became constant. 
The insoluble matter in some samples of extracts 
of aconite and lettuce was very small, amounting to 
only one and one and a half per cent., and in 
extract of lettuce was not green but brown; whether 
this change is due to age or not I am unable to say. 
From these varying results it is clear that extracts 
containing the colouring matter are not of anything 
like uniform strength; so much so is it the case that 
I venture to bring the subject before the Society in 
the hope that discussion will elicit opinion as to the 
desirability or otherwise of eliminating this cause 
of varying strength in preparations, which it is so 
very desirable should be of constant and unvarying 
strength. 
Dr. Harley* has shown how valueless the ex¬ 
tract of hemlock of the Pharmacopoeia is, and 
the value he attaches to the preserved juice. It 
is evident from his experiments that the prolonged 
application of heat employed to evaporate the 
juice to the consistence of an extract, dissipates 
so much of the active principle, conia, that very little 
of it remains in the extract. It is not improbable 
that some loss of alkaloid takes place in the prepa¬ 
ration of extract of henbane; and it is most desirable 
that after coagulating and separating the albumen, 
the evaporation should be carried on at the lowest 
temperature possible. As far as my experience goes 
I think that a temperature not exceeding 120° F. 
should be used, and that the evaporation of the juice 
should be effected hi shallow evaporating pans ex¬ 
posed to a current of dry air, until the proper con¬ 
sistence is obtained. 
It is undoubtedly established that the action of 
aconitia, atropia, and conia are identical with the 
medicinal properties of the plants from which they 
are extracted ; and it is not improbable that liyoscy- 
amia will be found to possess the properties of 
henbane in the liighest degree. 
The objections which I anticipate will be offered to 
any alteration in the preparation of these substances, 
is the absence of the accustomed colour, the increased 
strength, and possibly the greater deliquescence. 
My answer to the first objection is that in the case 
* “ On the Preparation of Extract of Conium of the British 
Pharmacopoeia, 1864 and 1867,” (Pharii. Journ., vo L 
VIII., 1866-67). 
r 
