THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
DECEMBER,  1877. 
RESINA  PODOPHYLLI. 
By  G.  H.  Chas.  Klie. 
Resin  of  podophyllum  is  prepared,  according  to  the  U.  S.  Pharma- 
copoeia, by  exhausting  16  troyounces  of  pulverized  podophyllum  root 
with  alcohol  until  24  fluidounces  have  been  obtained.  After  concen- 
tration of  this  to  6  fluidounces  it  is,  with  constant  stirring,  poured  into 
a  mixture  of  7  pints  of  water  and  2  drachms  of  muriatic  acid.  The 
sediment,  after  washing  twice  by  decantation,  is  gathered  on  a  strainer, 
expressed,  and  dried  by  a  moderate  warmth.  The  eclectic  dispensa- 
tory has  this  preparation  made  by  adding  one  pint  of  strong  tincture  of 
mandrake  root  to  one  gallon  of  water  acidulated  with  18  fluidrachms 
of  hydrochloric  acid,  washing  the  precipitate  on  a  filter,  and  drying  in 
a  warm  place  of  8o°  to  850  F.  It  goes  on  to  say  :  "This  resin  has 
also  been  obtained  by  precipitation  without  heat  by  adding  a  solution 
of  alum  to  a  saturated  tincture  of  the  root,  but  by  this  process  all  the 
resin  is  not  obtained."  The  only  practical  difference  between  the 
U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  formula  and  that  of  the  eclectic  dispensatory  is 
that  the  former  directs  a  certain  quantity  of  the  root  to  be  exhausted, 
whereas  the  latter  gives  free  scope  to  the  operator  to  consider  a  tinc- 
ture strong  whether  made  with  8,  12  or  16  ounces  of  the  root. 
Having  prepared  the  resin  several  times  according  to  the  Pharma- 
copoeia's directions,  and  having  found  the  product  very  small  each  time, 
I  was  induced  to  try  different  strengths  of  alcohol,  from  dilute  upwards, 
and  also  different  mixtures  for  precipitation,  to  ascertain  what  alcohol 
and  precipitating  mixture  would  give  the  largest  yield.  The  result  is 
given  in  the  table  below.  In  all  operations  percolation  was  carried  on 
until  1 J  pints  of  tincture  had  been  obtained  ;  the  tincture  remaining  in 
the  mass  was  displaced  by  water.  This  generally  increased  the  perco- 
late to  two  pints.    This  was  invariably  concentrated  to  8  fluidounces, 
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