266 
Preparation  of  Nux  Vomica. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1921. 
Mercuric  chloride  . 
Potassium  iodide  . 
Acetic  acid,  Glacial 
Water   
ioo  cc 
2.71  Gm. 
7.20  Gm. 
66  Cc 
Take  20  cc  of  serum,  add  20  cc  of  this  reagent;  mix  and  then 
filter ;  take  20  cc  of  the  nitrate,  corresponding  to  10  cc  of  the  serum ; 
add  20  cc  of  glacial  acetic  acid,  then  2  cc  of  methyl-alcohol  solu- 
tion of  xanthydrol ;  allow  to  stand  one  hour  and  then  proceed  as  with 
the  urine. 
If  solutions  of  urea  contain  mineral  acids,  neutralize  first  with 
ammonia,  and  then  proceed  with  the  filtrate  previously  acidulated 
with  acetic  acid. 
PREPARATION  AND  STANDARDIZATION  OF  THE 
EXTRACT  OF  NUX  VOMICA* 
By  M.  E.  Dufilho. 
The  preparation  of  the  extract  of  nux  vomica  can  be  divided 
into  four  parts : 
1.  The  exhaustion  of  the  powder  of  nux  vomica  (mesh  22)  by 
alcohol  of  70  per  cent.,  followed  by  the  distillation  and  concentration 
of  the  tincture  to  the  state  of  liquid  extract,  representing  the  fifth 
part  by  weight  of  the  drug. 
2.  The  cleaning  of  this  extract  by  successive  washes  with  ether, 
in  a  manner  to  take  up  all  of  the  oily  material  which  it  contains.  This 
oily  matter  will  not  permit  the  absolute  drying  of  the  extract,  nor  its 
homogeneous  mixing  with  the  sugar  of  milk  and  injures  the  good 
preservation  of  the  product. 
3.  Standardization  of  the  alkaloids. 
4.  Concentration  to  the  state  of  a  dry  extract,  and  bringing 
this  to  the  standard  of  16  parts  per  100  of  total  alkaloids,  by  the 
addition  of  sugar  of  milk. 
I.  Concerning  the  first  part,  the  French  Codex  (1908  edi- 
tion, page  276)  gives  sufficient  details  to  permit  the  pharmacist  to 
obtain  a  liquid  extract  of  proper  concentration.    I  shall  criticize 
^Bulletin  de  la  Societe  de  Pharmacie  de  Bordeaux,  March,  1920,  page 
173.    Abstract  prepared  by  Victor  O.  Homerberg. 
