458 
Examination  of  Opium  Alkaloids. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\    October,  1915. 
alkaloid  burned,  the  ash  should  not  exceed  o.i  per  cent,  of  the 
weight  taken. 
If  from  0.2  to  0.3  Gm.  of  narcotine  be  weighed,  dissolved  in  10 
Cc.  of  water  containing  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric  acid,  a  slight  ex- 
cess of  ammonia  water  added,  the  mixture  shaken  with  three  suc- 
cessive portions  of  15  Cc.  each  of  chloroform,  or  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity to  complete  the  extraction,  the  combined  chloroform  solutions 
evaporated  to  dryness,  the  residue  dried  to  constant  weight  at  ioo° 
C.  and  weighed,  the  weight  should  indicate  not  less  than  99.5  per 
cent,  of  narcotine. 
Monograph  III. 
NARCOTINE   HYDROCHLORIDE    (C22H23OtN  .  HQ). 
The  hydrochloride  of  the  alkaloid,  narcotine,  containing  not  less 
than  91.5  per  cent,  of  narcotine. 
Narcotine  hydrochloride  occurs  in  a  fine,  white,  crystalline  pow- 
der; odorless;  taste  bitter;  permanent  in  the  air. 
Narcotine  hydrochloride  is  soluble  in  water;  soluble  in  alcohol; 
soluble  in  chloroform;  insoluble  in  ether;  insoluble  in  cold  but 
soluble  in  boiling  alkaline  solutions. 
.  An  aqueous  solution  of  narcotine  hydrochloride  is  neutral  to 
litmus  paper  and  is  dextrorotatory,  the  specific  rotatory  power  being 
43-18°  at  150  C 
If  added  to  an  aqueous  solution  of  narcotine  hydrochloride,  silver 
nitrate  solution  should  produce  a  white  precipitate  which  is  insoluble 
in  nitric  acid. 
If  from  0.2  to  0.3  Gm.  of  narcotine  hydrochloride  be  weighed, 
dissolved  in  10  Cc.  of  water,  a  slight  excess  of  ammonia  water  added, 
the  mixture  shaken  with  three  successive  portions  of  15  Cc.  each  of 
chloroform,  or  a  sufficient  quantity  to  complete  the  extraction,  the 
combined  chloroform  solutions  washed  with  water,  evaporated  to 
dryness,  the  residue  dried  to  constant  weight  at  ioo°  C,  and  weighed, 
the  weight  should  indicate  not  less  than  91.5  per  cent,  of  narcotine. 
The  alkaloid  obtained  by  this  process  should  conform  to  the  tests  for 
identity  and  purity  described  under  narcotine. 
Monograph  IV. 
PAPAVERINE  HYDROCHLORIDE   (  C20H21O4'N  .  HC1)  . 
The  hydrochloride  of  the  alkaloid,  papaverine,  containing  not  less 
than  88  per  cent,  of  papaverine. 
Papaverine  hydrochloride  occurs  in  a  fine,  white,  crystalline 
