Am.  Tour.  Pharm.  "I 
Sept.,  19 18.  J 
Variations  in  Nux  Vomica. 
635 
Extract  :  U.  S.  P.  VIII  =  5  per  cent,  strychnine. 
U.  S.  P.    IX  =  15.2-16.8  per  cent,  total  alkaloids. 
Sample. 
Total  Alkaloid  Method 
U.  S.  P.  IX. 
Strychnine  Method 
U.  S.  P.  VIII. 
Brucine  by  Difference 
A 
15-41% 
4-93% 
10.48% 
B 
16.32 
6.69 
9-63 
C 
14-89 
5.21 
9.68 
D 
17. 1 
8.21 
8.89 
E 
15.61 
6.71 
8.9 
F 
16.45 
6.01 
IO.44 
Tincture:  U.  S.  P.  VIII  =  0.1  per  cent,  strychnine. 
U.  S.  P.    IX  —  0.237-0.263  per  cent,  total  alkaloids. 
Sample. 
Total  Alkaloid  Method 
U.  S.  P.  IX. 
Strychnine  Method 
U.  S.  P.  VIII. 
Brucine  by  Difference. 
A 
0.241% 
O.III% 
0.130% 
B 
0.271 
0.084 
O.187 
C 
0.213 
0.079 
O.134 
D 
0.224 
0.114 
O.IIO 
E 
0.251 
0.080 
0.I7I 
F 
0.249 
O.I02 
O.I47 
Again  the  results  show  that  there  is  absolutely  no  relation  be- 
tween the  percentage  of  total  alkaloid  and  that  of  strychnine  and 
some  of  the  samples  while  meeting  the  requirements  of  our  present 
Pharmacopoeia  show  a  decided  deficiency  in  strychnine  content  as 
required  by  the  U.  S.  P.  VIII. 
The  question  therefore  suggests  itself  whether  it  would  not  be 
better  to  have  both  a  requirement  for  total  alkaloid  and  for  strych- 
nine. Considering  the  results  obtained  from  the  powdered  nux 
vomica,  sample  C  contained  2.52  per  cent,  total  alkaloid  and  yet  is  of 
decidedly  inferior  quality  since  it  only  contains  0.73  per  cent,  strych- 
nine. On  the  other  hand  sample  I  contains  1.26  per  cent,  strychnine 
but  only  2.38  per  cent,  of  total  alkaloids  therefore  also  of  inferior 
quality.  In  the  opinion  of  the  author  no  difficulty  would  be  had  in 
obtaining  nux  vomica  on  the  market,  which  contains  at  least  2.5 
per  cent,  total  alkaloids  and  1.25  per  cent,  of  strychnine.  The  com- 
bination assay  process  as  suggested  before  could  be  used  thereby 
requiring  only  one  sample  for  the  entire  assay  and  making  it  little 
more  difficult  and  complex  than  the  assay  of  the  U.  S.  P.  IX. 
