Companion to the latest edition of the British pharmacopoeia : comparing the strength of the various preparations with those of the United States and other foreign pharmacopoeias to which are added not official preparations and practical hints on prescribing / by Peter Squire.

  • Squire, Peter.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Companion to the latest edition of the British pharmacopoeia : comparing the strength of the various preparations with those of the United States and other foreign pharmacopoeias to which are added not official preparations and practical hints on prescribing / by Peter Squire. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    96/744 (page 52)
    Fseudaeonitine can be distinguished from Aconitine by the beautiful purple red colour produced on adding a solution of Caustic Potash in absolute Alcohol to the yellow residue obtained by evaporating a small quantity of the alkaloid with a few drops of fuming Nitric Acid. It can also be recognised by other tests dependent upon the formation of Veratric Acid derivatives—which Aconitine does not yield. (Fr., Duquesnel process; Span., similar ; both are crystalline products ; Belg., similar to Brit.; Hung, specifies German Aconitine ; Port., indefinite, must obviously contain Aconines.) Medicinal Properties.—It relieves acute nervous pain when rubbed on the part in the form of ointment, producing a tingling sensation, followed by numbness. Care must be taken that it does not come in contact with, a mucous surface or abraded skin. It has been given with, marked benefit in trigeminal neuralgia, and to relieve the pain of acute rheumatism and gout. With, the exception of the well-known brand English. Aconitine, wbich. possesses all the characters of Fseudaeonitine from A. for ox, no Aconitine should be used medicinally which does not conform to the tests given above. As, however, the doses wbich have been given of ''German Amorphous Aconitine are about ten times that of the crystallised alkaloid, great care must be taken in prescribing and dispensing to define the variety intended. Dose.—As a pure crystalline Aconitine would probably be fatal to an adult in a dose of 3 milligrammes (2-2 grain), the maximum dose should not exceed -ny milli- gramme pro dosi, or ]% milligramme per diem, and the commencing dose should be smaller. Solutions of the alkaloid are prone to decomposition; aqueous or alcoholic solutions should therefore be slightly acidified with Hydrochloric Acid, or crystallised Nitrate of Aconitine should be used.—P.J. xvi. 802. Preparation. UNaUENTUM ACOWITIW^. Aconitine, 8 grs. ; Eectified Spirit, ^ drm.; dissolve and add Ben- zoated Lard, 1 oz.; mix. =(about 1 in 60). There may be some uncertainty as to what quality of alkaloid should be used in making this Ointment, for although the B.P. characters given for Aconitine have been the same for the last 30 years, it has long been known that they refer to a very impure product. We assume that, in first-class dispensing, the article in use up to a comparatively recent date would be the Enghsh make, now known to be Pseudaconitine, the potency of which does not appear to difier much from that of Nap-aconitine. From our experience of an Ointment so made, we know that it is efficient and wo have never heard of any injurious efifects following its use; we may therefore assume that in future Aconitine Cryst. will also be used in making the Ofiicial Ointment, Chloroform, instead of Rectified Spirit, being used as the solvent. (Span., Pomada de Aconitina—^Aconitine 1, Olive Oil 2, Lard 40 ; not in the other Pharmacopoeias.) Hot Official. OLEATUM ACONITIN.E.—Aconitine, 2 grs.; Oleic Acid, 98 grs.: dissolve. Dr. Shoemaker states that this has a slight local action, and it can be used in mild cases of neuralgia.—B.M.J, '84, ii. 7^)0.