Du Mez—The Galenical Oleoresins. 
1129 
temperature have been observed during the separation of the 
precipitated piperine. A comparatively slight difference in tem¬ 
perature causes a considerable variation in the amount of the 
latter constituent retained in solution, which results in a cor¬ 
responding variation in the specific gravity of the finished pro¬ 
duct. This effect is further noticed in connection with the 
menstruum employed in extracting the drug, e. g. petroleum 
ether which is a poor solvent for piperine yields an oleoresin 
relatively low in specific gravity. With respect to the com¬ 
mercial samples examined, a low specific gravity was, in one in¬ 
stance, found to be due to the presence of unevaporated solvent. 
The tables which follow show the specific gravity of the samples 
examined in the laboratory. 
Table 125 —Specific gravities of oleoresins prepared in the laboratory . 
Sample 
No. 
Date 
Observer 
Solvent 
Specific 
gravity 
1 ......... 
1916 
DuMez. 
Alcohol. 
At 25° C 
1.069 
1.083 
1.056 
0.981 
2. 
Acetone. 
Ether. 
4.... 
“ 
Petrol, ether. 
Table 126 —Specific gravities of commercial oleoresins. 
Sample 
No. 
Date 
Observer 
Source 
Specific 
gravity 
1. 
1916 
DuMez. 
Squibb & Sons. 
At 25° C 
0.985 1 
2. 
Sharp & Dohme. 
1.061 
1 The odor of ether was very noticeable. 
Refractive index: The refractive index of this preparation 
as observed in the laboratory was not constant, varying from 
1.521 to 1.696. From an inspection of the first of the tables 
which follow, it would appear that this variation was a result 
of the influence of the solvent employed in extracting the drug. 
While the solvent undoubtedly exerts an influence in this con¬ 
nection, it does so indirectly, that is, through its effect on the 
piperine content. 1 The latter, however, is also influenced by 
1 See discussions under “Piperine content” and “Yield of oleoresin,” re¬ 
spectively. 
