Am.  Jonr.  Pharm.  \ 
Dec.,  1888.  ; 
Analytieal  Notes. 
607 
Extractum  Glycyrrhizce. — Four  commercial  samples  of  liquorice,  of 
American  manufacture,  except  No.  2,  were  examined  by  Wm.  C. 
Miintzer,  Ph.  G.  The  moisture  present  was  not  determined.  The 
water  solution,  treated  with  sulphuric  acid,  yielded  crude  gly  cyrrhizin, 
which  was  rendered  pure  by  dissolving  in  ammonia  and  reprecipitat- 
ing  by  acid.  The  portion  insoluble  in  water  was  treated  with  ammo- 
nia, and  this  solution  with  sulphuric  acid,  when  crude  glycyrrhizin 
was  obtained  and  purified  as  before. 
Cold  distilled, 
water. 
Soluble  portion, 
Glycyrrhizin. 
Insoluble  portion, 
Glycyrrhizin. 
Total  pure  Gly 
cyrrhizin. 
Insoluble 
Soluble. 
Crude. 
Pure. 
Crude. 
Pure. 
1  
27-70 
72.30 
11.65 
8-70 
1-47 
1-04 
9-74 
2  
■  26-86 
73-14 
4-18 
2.57 
5-35 
4-20 
6-77 
4  
24-15 
75-85 
6-93 
5-95 
1-54 
1-10 
7-05 
3  
47-29 
52-71 
7-40 
2-64 
2-03 
1-50 
4-14 
Solubility  in  water  not  being  a  reliable  indication  for  the  purity  of 
liquorice,  the  author  suggests  the  following  process  of  assay  :  Macerate 
for  two  hours  in  a  flask  10  gm.  of  the  extract,  in  coarse  powder,  with 
190  gm.  of  distilled  water  and  10  gm.  ammonia  water;  allow  to  set- 
tle ;  pour  the  liquid  upon  a  filter ;  rinse  the  flask  and  filter  with  about 
100  cc,  used  in  several  portions,  of  the  same  menstruum,  until  the 
washings  are  no  longer  colored  brown,  acidulate  the  filtrate  with  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  ;  allow  to  stand  for  one  hour ;  filter ;  wash  the  precipi- 
tate with  distilled  water  ;  redissolve  in  5  per  cent,  water  of  ammonia ; 
precipitate  with  sulphuric  acid ;  after  one  hour  filter ;  wash  with  dis- 
tilled water  until  the  washings  produce  no  cloudiness  with  barium 
chloride;  dry  the  precipitate  at  100°  C,  and  weigh.  The  weight 
multiplied  by  10  gives  the  percentage  of  glycyrrhizin  contained  in  the 
extract.^ 
Isinglass. — Robert  Baird,  Ph.  G.,  examined  the  following  coni- 
mercial  samples  :    Nos.  1,  2  and  3,  Russian  isinglass;   Nos.  4  and 
^  The  exact  solubility  of  glycyrrhizin  in  water  of  different  temperatures, 
and  in  dilute  acids  of  different  strength,  has  not  yet  been  determined. — Editor. 
