276 
Colorless  Hydrastis. 
Am,  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1&7. 
COLORLESS  HYDRASTIS. 
By  Gust.  Steinmann,  Ph.  G. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  May  17. 
In  the  examination  of  three  samples  from  different  manufacturers 
of  colorless  hydrastis,  I  find  in  No.  1  the  alkaloid  as  sulphate  in  a 
mixture  of  glycerin  and  water  having  the  specific  gravity,  1*15,  and 
giving  after  ignition  0*05  per  cent.  ash.  In  No.  2  two  acids  were 
present,  hydrochloric  and  sulphuric,  combined  with  the  alkaloid, 
aluminium,  and  a  trace  of  potassium;  specific  gravity  1*13  ;  ash  0*35 
per  cent.,  which  gave  0*12  per  cent,  aluminium  oxide,  showing  that 
the  alkaloid  is  present  as  chloride  and  aluminium  as  sulphate.  The 
potash  alum  probably,  was  used  in  the  process  of  decolorizing  or  to 
prevent  the  method  of  manufacture  becoming  known,  In  No.  3  the 
alkaloid  was  present  as  a  chloride  ;  also  found  boracic  acid  ;  specific 
gravity  1*12.  There  being  organic  matter  present  it  was  difficult  to 
reduce  to  ash. 
The  tests  given  by  the  manufacturers  are  the  ammonia  test : 
No.  1.  Slight  precipitate. 
No.  2  and  3.  Curdy  precipitate. 
Fluorescence  tests : 
No.  1  and  3.    With  sulphuric  acid  and  potassium  permanganate. 
No.  2.  Equal  parts  of  alcohol  and  colorless  hydrastis  with  a  few 
drops  of  ammonia. 
The  ammonia  test  in  No.  1  gave  a  clear  solution  with  a  slight  pre- 
cipitate ;  2  and  3  cloudy  solutions  and  heavy  precipitate.  With 
Mayer's  reagent  all  gave  cloudy  solutions  with  slight  precipitates 
which,  on  heating,  became  clear,  leaving  a  light  yellow  precipitate, 
the  liquids  becoming  turbid  on  cooling.  The  fluorescence  test,  which 
is  characteristic  for  the  alkaloid,  is  made  by  adding  sulphuric  acid  to 
the  solution,  then  potassium  permanganate,  the  color  of  which,  on 
shaking,  disappeared,  leaving  a  decided  blue  fluorescence.  When  the 
original  solutions  were  evaporated  in  a  water  bath  to  a  syrupy  consis- 
tence they  assumed  a  yellow  color. 
Samples  were  prepared  :  one  containing  20  grains  of  hydrastine- 
sulphate  in  a  solution  of  glycerin  and  water  having  the  specific  gravity 
1*15,  which  answered  the  tests  of  No.  1,  and,  no  doubt,  is  identical. 
Another  was  prepared  containing  20  grains  of  the  chloride  of  hydras- 
tine  with  alum,  which  gave  characteristic  tests  as  in  No.  2,  with  the 
