Monographs :
Homoeopathic Pharmacy by K. P. Muzumdar.
ACIDUM NITRICUM (Ac. nit.)
Chemical Symbol -HNO3 Mo1. Wt. 63.013
Description- A fuming liquid and very caustic. Has a characteristic, highly irritating odour. It is miscible with water and dilute alcohol in all proportions. Its specific gravity is 1.41. It boils at 120*-. It is prepared by oxidation of ammonia with air in the presence of platinum as catalyst. It attacks most metals evolving brown fumes. Contains not less than 69 per cent and not more than 71 per cent w/w of HNO3.
Identification- i) It is strongly acidic even when freely diluted with water.
ii) When neutralized, it responds to the reactions characteristic of nitrates.
Arsenic- Not more than 5 parts per million.
Copper & Zinc- Dilute 1 ml. with 20 ml. of water and add a slight excess of dilute solution of ammonia; a blue colour is not produced. Into this mixture pass hydrogen sulphide -a precipitate is not produced.
Chloride - 5 ml. neutralized with dilute ammonia solution- complies with the limit test for chlorides.
Lead- Not more than 2 parts per million.
Iron- 0.5 ml. complies with the limit test for iron.
Sulphate- To 2.5 ml., add 10 mg. of sodium bicarbonate and evaporate to dryness on a water bath; the residue dissolved in water complies with the limit test for sulphates.
Non-Volatile matter- Not more than 0.01 per cent w/w.
Assay- Weigh accurately about 4g. into a stoppered flask, containing 40 ml. of water, and titrate with 1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of methyl orange as indicator. Each ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.06301 g. of HNO3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Acidum Nitricum 141g.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies -2x and 3x with purified water, to be freshly made for immediate use only. 4x and 5x with dilute alcohol, 6x and above with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class Va
Storage- The preparations of this acid up to 3x potency are to be stored in well-closed containers with glass stoppers.
Action- It is a corrosive acid- but it is safer than Sulphuric Acid, as if does not diffuse so readily in the tissues. It stains the skin and tissues a bright yellow or yellow brown colour.
Principal action is on mucous membranes and effects mucocutaneous junctions of orifices.
The mouth and the gums are covered with ulcerations, which bleed on touch.
It causes dysenteric inflammations of the large intestine- causing tenesmus, bloody evacuations with pain. protruding haemorrhoids which crack and bleed. Very sore on touch.
In the respiratory sphere there is passive epistaxis of dark blood.
In the urinary sphere there is burning pain in the bladder, there is frequent desire to pass urine and scalding pain. But the urine is scanty and of strong hippuric odour.
It has been found to be an antidote to the poison of Mercury in conjunction with Syphilis. It both supplements and antidotes mercury.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Potency : :1x
Colourless liquid, odour characteristic, irritating. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent v/v to not more than 10.50 per cent v/v of HNO3
Reaction :Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Acidum Nitricum.
Potency : 3x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent v/v to not more than 0.105 per cent v/v of HNO3
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 40 g into a stoppered flask and titrate with 0.1N sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml of 0.1N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0,00603 g of HNO3
ACIDUM PHOSPHORICUM (Ac. Phos.)
Chemical symbol - H3 PO4 Mol. Wt. 97. 995
Description-A colourless odourless liquid of a syrupy consistency. At about 200* c. the acid gradually changes to pyrophosphoric acid, and at higher temperature it passes into metaphosphoric acid. It is miscible with water or alcohol with the evolution of heat. Its specific gravity is 1.71. It may be obtained by the oxidation of phosphorus in contact with water. Contains not less than 88 per cent and not more than 90.0 per cent w/w of H3 PO4.
Identification - (i) It is strongly acidic even when freely diluted with water.
(ii) When carefully neutralized with potassium hydroxide test solution of silver nitrate added, a characteristic yellow precipitate, soluble in ammonium hydroxide, is formed.
Arsenic.- Not more than 5 parts per million.
Aluminium & Calcium- 1 ml. diluted with 10 ml. of water gives no precipitate when made alkaline with dilute solution of ammonia.
Lead- Not more than 10 parts per million.
Iron Chloride and Sulphate- Complies with the limit tests for Iron, Chlorides and Sulphates.
Phosphorus and Hypo-Phosphoric acid- 0.05 ml. diluted with 10 ml. of water, does not become brown on warming with a solution of silver nitrate.
Assay -Mix about 1.5, accurately weighed with a solution of 10g. of sodium chloride in 30ml. of water, and titrate with 1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.04900 g. of H3 PO4.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Acidum Phosphoricum 118 g.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies - 2x and 3x with Purified Water to be freshly made for their immediate use only. 4x and 5x with dilute alcohol, 6x and above will be prepared in dispensing alcohol.
Old Method -Class VB
Action - It is less corrosive and irritant than the other mineral acids but in large concentrated doses may cause gastro- enteritis.
It has principal action on nervous system and causes extreme debility without erethism of the mind before the body.
Debility is more marked in the sexual sphere in both males and females.
Haemorrhages of Phosphoric Acid are dark, profuse and passive.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Potency :1x
Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent v/v to not more than 10.50 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction :Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Acidum PHOSPHORICUM.
Potency : 2x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/v to not more than 1.05 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Acidum Phosphoricum.
Potency : 3x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/v to not more than 0.195 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 25 g into stoppered flask, containing about 0.5 g sodium chloride and titrate with 0.1N sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml of 0.1N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.00049 g of H3PO4
ACONITUM NAPELLUS (Acon. nap.)
Bot. Name- Aconitum napellus Linn. Family-Ranunculaceae.
History - The name Aconite is derived from Aconis, a city in Bithynia in Asia Minor; also from Acon meaning dart, as the darts were poisoned with Aconite.
It is also suggested that it is derived from a Greek work Aconitum meaning without soil. This plant grows on a stony ground. Napellus is from a Latin word meaning Little turnip. It refers to the shape of the root.
Storch (Baron Stoerck) a Viennese physician introduced it to medicine in 1762. Hahnemann introduced this to homoeopathic therapeutics in 1805.
Description- A perennial herb having perpendicular, taperous roots. The stem is upright, round, smooth and slightly hairy above and grows up to the height of 2 meters.
The leaves are alternate long-stalked, hairy on the under surface. They are palmately lobed, the lower more deeply than the upper, into three or five segments which are again divided.
The flowers are of dark-violet colour and appear from May to July. They are stalked and racemose radial, the two lateral are roundish and hairy internally, the lower two are oblong oval.
Macroscopical- The roots are tuberous and are either single or in clusters of two or more, the younger, smoother root or roots being connected with the older, deeply wrinkled roots by means of side branch or branches. Each root is obconical, usually from 4-10 cm. and 1-3-5 cm. wide at the crown, to which is attached the base of an aerial stem or the remains of the bud with numerous thin wiry rootlets. The scars left by these old roots are brown and the young roots are yellowish white internally. The external surface is dark brown.
Microscopical-Near the tip of the root, cross sections show diarch radial bundles and gradually upwards these become successively tetrarch, pentarch and occasionally octarch. The root cortex consist of a narrow region bounded externally by a metaderm of about 1-4 layers of brownish cells. Cortical cells are pitted cellulosic parenchyma. The endodermis consists of brownish, longitudinally elongated rectangular cells enclosing a pericycle of about 1-20 layers of parenchyma cells. Scleroids are occasionally present in cortex and pericycle. Five to eight bundles of primary phloem alternating with the angles of cambium lie within the pericycle. The metaphloem is a broad band of parenchyma cells, densely packed with starch grains, both simple and compound, 2 to 6 to 15-20 microns in diameter.
Numerous islets of sieve tissue are embedded in this region. Cambium in the upper part of the root, stellate in transverse section consist of rectangular prismatic cells enclosing at each angle a wedge-shaped group of parenchymatous medullary ray cells, on the inner margin of which is a small primary xylem, containing spiral vessels. The wedge flanked on either side of a small group of secondary xylem consists mainly of reticulate and pitted vessels; additional groups of secondary xylem are distributed along with cambium. The medullary rays are indistinct and the pith consists of cellulosic parenchyma.
Distribution-It is found in wet, shady places in mountainous regions at high altitudes. It is found in western Himalayas, at 3,500 m. in Central and Southern Europe and Siberia. It is also found in mountainous ranges of the Pacific coast of America.
Part Used- The whole plant. Moisture contents of fresh plant 350 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Aconite Napellus in a coarse Powder 100g. Purified Water 350 ml.
Strong Alcohol 683 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies - 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class I and II.
Constituents and Action - The active principle is mostly obtained from roots- alkaloid Aconitine. It decreases in its quantity above 600 mts height.
The action of this principal alkaloid and other constituents present in the drug is quite complex.
Massive doses rapidly produce paralysis of the cardiac and respiratory centres, causing death.
Smaller but still fatal quantities: Induce death, preceded by irregular, slow pulse, laboured breathing, cyanosis, Arrhythmia passes on to fibrillation.
In still smaller amounts: Burning in mouth, throat, wind pipe, pricking and ticking sensations, soon to be replaced by numbness and loss of sensation; the temperature is lowered substantially. However, it should not be used as an antipyretic.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
Aconite : Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 61.0 to 65.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.5 to 7.0
Sp.gr. : : From 0.896 to 0.904
Total solids : Not less than 0.5 Percent w/w
/\ max. : 285nM
Identification : (a) Colour Test Take one drop of Mt on filter paper and dry. Place one drop of acetic anhydride on the spot and dry again. Examine under uv light.
Greenish Blue fluorescence is produced (b) Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract of the drug using Chloroform methanol 9:1 v/v as mobile phase under uv light. Four spots at Rf 0.08, 0.29, 0.39 and 0.63 appear. On spraying with Dragendorff's reagent two spots appear at 0.08 and 0.16 (orange).
AGARICUS MUSCARIUS (Agar.m.)
Bot. Name - Amanita muscarius Linn. Family- Agaricaceae
Description-The pileus is 7 to 13 cm. broad, globose at first, then dumbbell in shape, convex, then expanded, nearly flat with age; margin slightly striate; the surface of the cap is covered with white fluccose scales, fragments of the volva. These scales can be easily removed. The colour of the young plant is usually red, then orange to pale yellow; later in the old pants, if fades to almost white. The flesh is white, sometimes stained yellow close to the cuticle. The gills are pure white, very symmetrical, various in length, the shorter ones terminating under the cap very abruptly, crowded, free but reaching the stem decurrent in the form of lines somewhat broader in form. Sometimes a slight tinge of yellow can be seen in the gills; the stem is white, often yellowish with age, pithy and often hollow, becoming rough and shaggy, finally scaly. The veil covers the gills in the young plant and later is seen as a collar like ring on the stem. The spores are white and broadly elliptical.
Distribution-It is found in dry pine and birch forests in Northern Europe, Asia and America, abundant in pine woods in some parts of Scotland and sandy deserts in Asia.
Part Used - The whole young fungus except the outer skin.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Agaricus Muscarius in coarse powder. 100g.
Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies -2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class III.
Constituents and Action - It contains several toxic compounds but the most important one is Muscarin. Its effect is slow and gradual, developing over a period of 10 to 12 hours. It acts as an intoxicant to the brain, producing vertigo and delirium, followed by profound sopor. It lowers the reflexes; the symptoms are caused by excitement and not by the congestion of the brain.
Standard for finished product:
Agaricus : Mother tincture Muscarius
Alcohol content : 40.0 to 45.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 and 5.5
Sp. gr. : : From 0.926 to 0.925
Total solids : Not less than 0.28 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 280, 320 nm
Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol, acetic acid and water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase.
In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf 0.40 and 0.94 correspond to muscarine.
Chemical Symbol : K (SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O Mol. Wt. 33.032
Description - A colourless, transparent crystal or a white granular, odourless powder, having a sweet, metallic taste. The crystals effloresce upon exposure to air. It is soluble in 12 parts of water and in 3 parts of boiling water; insoluble in alcohol. Its aqueous solution is slightly acidic. It may be prepared by dissolving a mixture of 10 parts of potassium bitartrate with 8 parts of antimony trioxide in 75 parts of boiling water, filtering while hot and allowing it to crystallize. Contains not less than 99 per cent of K(SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O.
Identification- Aqueous solution responds to the tests characteristic of antimony and of tartarates.
An acidic solution gives orange red precipitates with hydrogen.
Arsenic : Not more than 10 parts per million.
Lead : Not more than 5 parts per million.
Assay- Dissolve about 0.5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. of water, add about 2 g. of sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.1 N iodine using mucilage of starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.01670 g. of K(SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O.
Preparation - (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Antimonium Tartaricum in crystals 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x method described in the text . (x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Action.- It is an irritant and depressant. When applied to skin it produces a papular eruption- which becomes pustular with central umbilication.
Small doses taken internally causes nausea increase of saliva, gastric and intestinal juices and mucus in the bronchus.
Large doses produce vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps in the epigastrium; depress heart action with consequent fall of blood pressure,low body temperature; cause paralysis of both motor and sensory centres and diminish reflex excitability.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder contains not less than 9.40 Percent, w/w to not more than 10.40 Percent w/w of K(Sbo)C 4 H 4 O 6.2H2O.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Antimonium Tartaricum.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.94 Percent w/w to not more than 1.04 Percent w/w of K(Sbo) C 4 H 4 O 6.2H2O.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Antimonium Tartaricum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contain not less than 0.094 Percent w/w to not more than 0.104 Percent w/w of K(Sbo) C 4 H 4 O6.2H2O.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g, char it in silica crucible and dissolve the ash in 25 ml. of water, add about 2 g of Sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.01N Iodine using Starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.01N Iodine = 0.00167 g. of K(Sbo) C 4 H4 O6.2H2O
APIS MELLIFICA (Apis. mel.)
Zool. Name : Apis mellifica Order Family - Apidae Hymenoptera
Description- Under apidae there are three general groups; melipona (stingless bees), bombus (bumble bees) and the Apis (honey bees). The genus Apis is of European origin and is widely distributed throughout the civilized world. A swarm of bees consists of queen bee, several hundred drones and ten thousand or more workers. The queen bees are the only perfectly developed females. The drones are males the workers females. The bees have three parts of body which are well separated by constrictions. The head carries the eyes, antennae, and mouth parts; the thorax, the wings and legs; the abdomen, the wax glands and sting. The bees are hairy which are branched or feathery. The eyes of the male are united above, the mouth part is nearly aborted and the hind legs are smooth. There are two paraglosae on the lingula in the female and the maxillary palpi are one-jointed. The shorter abdomen of the female marks the external difference from the male. This species is without terminal spurs on the hind legs. Only queens and workers have poison.
Distribution - India and also in other parts of the world.
Part Used - The live bees.
Preparation- Place live bees in a clean, wide-mouthed container, preferably of glass. After irritating them by shaking, the menstruum should be poured in, and the whole allowed to macerate for ten days, being shaken twice daily. The resulting tincture should be poured off and filtered. The bees should not be pressed. The drug strength of the tincture varies, depending on the season of the year when the bees are secured. When they are dormant, their poisons are supposed to be less virulent.
(a) Mother Tincture Drugs Strength 1/10 Apis Mellifica, moist magma containing solids 100 g, moisture 150 ml. 250 g.
Glycerin 225 ml.
Purified Water 225 ml.
Strong Alcohol 425 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies - 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water, five parts strong alcohol, 3x with dilute alcohol, 4x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class IV.
Caution - Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constituents and Action- The honey bee poison is a toxalbumin and its effects are similar to those of other animal poisons, such as the toxalbumins of snakes, spiders, lizards, etc.
The effect of the sting is concentrated on the nervous centres and the skin. The action is extremely rapid.
The sensorium gets depressed to a point of drowsiness, even to unconsciousness.
It acts on cellular tissues, causing oedema of skin and mucous membranes.
There is acute inflammation of kidneys and other parenchymatous tissues. It produces serous inflammation with effusion, membranes of brain, heart and pleura.
Standard for finished product :(HPI) Apis Mellifica : Mother tincture Alcohol content : 37.0 to 41.0 Percent v/v pH : Between 5.0 to 5.8 Sp. gr. : From 0.893 to 0.998 /\ max. : 264 nm Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n- butanol-acetic acid-water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase:ninhydrin as spray reagent. Three spots appear at Rf 0.09, 0.21 (violet red) and 0.45 (light violet).
ARGENTUM METALLICUM (Arg. met.)
Chemical Symbol -Ag. At.Wt. 107.87.
Description - A white, brilliant, tenacious, ductile metal; tasteless and odourless. Next to gold it is the most malleable and ductile of all metals. It is insoluble in water, alcohol and in most acids; readily soluble in dilute nitric acid, and in hot sulphuric acid. Its specific gravity is 10.49. It melts at 960.50*. It does not oxidize in air, but is tarnished quickly by hydrogen sulphide. It is prepared from native silver ores.
Identification -
i) Solution in nitric acid gives a Heavy white, curdy precipitate with a solution of soluble chloride or hydrochloric acid. The precipitate is soluble in ammonium hydroxide.
ii) An ammoniacal solution, when treated with a small quantity of formaldehyde and warmed, causes the formation of a silver mirror on the walls of the test tube.
Assay - 0.32 g. accurately weighed, is dissolved in sufficient quantity of dilute nitric acid (Sp.Gr. 1.2) Titrate with 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate, using solution of ferric ammonium sulphate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate is equivalent to 0.010788 of Ag.
Caution : Inhalation of dust should be avoided.
Preparation - (a) Trituration 1x Drugs strength 1/10 Argentum Metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid, 8x and 9x and higher, with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action - It is a metal, silver.
The laboratory experiments are chiefly the result of experiments with the oxide and albuminate, sometimes injected intravenously or subcutaneously. The medullary centres are first stimulated. Blood pressure is increased, the pulse is slowed, the breathing is quickened and deepened. Later the blood pressure falls and the respiration becomes slow and laboured through stimulation of vagus; the heart continues to beat after the breathing has ceased.
In less acute poisoning there is time for bronchial contraction to develop, leading to oedema of lungs, but not of cardiac origin. The kidneys are initiated with diuresis and albuminuria. Intestinal mucosa is also involved which causes ulcerations.
In chronic poisoning the silver is deposited in the skin, the mucous and the serous membranes; the several glomeruli the connective tissue of the liver, spleen, choroid plexuses, tunica intima of aorta, and the mesenteric glands in the form of minute granules.
Standard for finished product: HPI
Potency : 1x Yellow coloured amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Ag.
Assay : Compiles with the essay method, given under Argentum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light yellow coloured amorphous powder.
Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w of Ag.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Argentum Metallicum.
ARGENTUM NITRICUM (Arg. nit.)
Chemical Symbol-AgNO3 Mol. Wt. 169.875
Description- A colourless or white crystals; odourless, having a bitter caustic, metallic taste. Soluble in 0.4 part of water, in slightly more than 0.1 part of boiling water melts at 212* into a slightly yellow liquid. It is obtained by the action of nitric acid on a silver. Silver nitrate, powdered and then dried in the dark over silica gel for four hours, contains not less than 99.8 per cent of AgNO3.
Identification - i) With sodium chloride its aqueous solution given an abundant white precipitate, soluble in ammonia.
ii) It responds to the tests characteristic of silver and of nitrates.
iii) A solution in water is clear and colourless and is neutral to litmus, Bismuth, Copper and Lead. To a solution of 1 g. in 5 ml. of water add a slight excess of dilute ammonia solution. The mixture remains clear and colourless.
Assay - Weigh accurately about 0.5 g. and dissolve in 50 ml. of water, and 2 ml. of nitric acid and titrate with 0.1 N ammonia thiocyanate, using solution of ferric ammonium sulphate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate is equivalent to 0.010699 g. of AgNo3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10
Argentum Nitricum 100 g Purified Water is sufficient quantity To make one thousand milliliters of the solution.
(b) Potencies: 2x to 4x with purified water; 5x with dilute alcohol; 6x and above with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Storage - Argentum Nitricum and its preparations up to 6x potency are to be kept in a well-closed container protected from light.
Constituents and Action - It is a nitrate of silver, and it s pathogenetic effects are described under argentum metallicum. The effects are almost the same, meaning thereby that the action is due to silver ion.
ARNICA MONTANA (Arn. Mont.)
Bot. Name - Arnica montana Linn. Family - Compositeae
History - The name Arnica is supposed to be derived from `Arnakis' meaning Lambskin, because of the woolly appearance of the leaf and `montana' from the Latin mountains, the place where it grows. It was introduced by Hahnemann in Homoeopathic practice in 1805.
Diagram Arnica Montana
Description - A perennial herb with a creeping, slender, blackish rhizome, 2.5 cms. long and 5 mm. in thickness, giving from its sides and under surface numerous dark, brittle, wiry, curved and twisted roots, about 8 cm. in length; and the scars of cataphyllary leaves render the surface of the rhizome, which is in addition longitudinally shrivelled, distinctly rough. Stem: 25-30. high, is erect, pubescent, rough, striated, either simple or with one pair of opposite branches. Leaves : 10-20 cm. long, are few, entire, sessile opposite, abovate; radical ones crowded at he base, the upper smaller than the rest. The heads : 5-6 cm. wide, are large and solitary at the summit of the stem and lateral branches. The involucre is cylindrical, dull green, with purplish points and hairy. The ligulate florets are in single row of sixteen to twenty; calyx represented by a pappus of numerous each of which is four to five cells in diameter and minutely denticulate on the surface; strap of the corolla about 2 to 3 cm. long and 3 to 5 mm. wide, with three acute teeth at the apex and 7 to 9 veins, sometimes four to five teeth and up to fifteen veins; stamens absent; ovary inferior 5.5 to 7.5 mm. long five-ribbed unilocular, the wall bearing numerous appressed twin trichomes, each composed of two cells which diverge at the tips; style filiform, stigma bifid and spreading.
Tubular florets have a regular, five-toothed, yellow, tubular corolla about 7 to 8 mm. long; five epipetalous stamens with syngenesious anthers; pappus and ovary as in ligulate florets. The drug as a whole has faint but rather agreeable apple-like odour and a bitter acrid taste. Flowers too have pleasant, sweet and aromatic odour and bitter, acrid taste.
Macroscopical - The smoothed transverse surface of the rhizome shows as externally thin layer of brown cork, a fairly wide, whitish cortex, in the inner layers of which is a circle of dark resin ducts; a circle of about twenty vascular bundles having a yellowish xylem and separated by fairly wide, medullary rays; and a large, whitish central pith.
Distribution - Most, upland meadows of the cooler parts of Europe, hills in Central Europe. It extends through Russia to Siberia. It is also found sparsely in the north-western part of the U. S. A.
Part used - Whole plant.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Arnica Montana in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml Strong Alcohol 635 ml To make one thousand milliliters of the tinctures.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water, six parts of strong alcohol; 3x and higher, with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class III.
Constituents and action -Rhizome and flowers contain 0.5 to 1 Percent volatile oil, arnicin, arnisterol (arnidiol), anthoxanthin, Lannin, resin.
Flowerheads 0.1 Percent choline, arnidendiol, alloarnidendiol and a petroleum ether soluble fraction arnicin.
They contain a flavone, an adrenaline-like pressor substance, a cardiotonic substance. Flavone causes a fall in blood pressure.
Arnica is irritant, depressant antipyretic, diuretic and vulnerary. It initiates the gastro-intestinal tract. Small doses internally increase the action of the heart, raise arterial tension and stimulate the action of the skin and kidneys.
In large doses it produces transient excitement, followed by depression of the circulation, respiration and nerve centres. IT produces headache, unconsciousness, convulsions with lowering body temperature, dilatation of pupils and muscular paresis.
It is a popular for external use in bruises, sprains, etc. It acts on various capillaries as absorbents and the terminal ends of sensory and vasomotor nerves, cardio-inhibitory centre.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Arnica Montana : Mother tincture
Alcohol Content : 57.0 to 60.1 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.6 to 5.8
Sp. gr. : From 0.907 to 0.913
Total Solids : Not less than 0.85 Percent w/v
/\ max : 284 and 378 nM
Identification : (a) Colour test: To one ml. of mother tincture add 0.2 ml. of Ferric chloride solution.
Green colour develops.
b) Carry out TLC of chloroform extract of mother tincture using chloroform ethanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and antimony trichloride reagent as spray reagent. Under uv light three spots appear at Rf 0.07, 0.66 and 0.84. With spray reagent two spots appear at Rf 0.29 and 0.94 (both violet).
ARSENICUM ALBUM (Ars. alb.)
Chemical Symbol - As2O3 Mol. Wt. 197.841
Description - A white or transparent amorphous lump or crystalline powder, odourless, stable in air, a poison. It is slowly soluble in water. The amorphous variety is more soluble than crystalline variety. It is sparingly soluble in alcohol. It is completely soluble in glycerine. It may be obtained by roasting certain arsenical ores. Arsenic trioxide, dried at 105* for two hours, contains not less than 99.8 per cent of As2O3
Identification - (i) Sublimes on heating with the formation of transparent octahedral crystals.
(ii) A small quantity warmed with about 5 ml. of hydrochloric acid, gives a brown-coloured or white precipitate on the addition of a few drops of solution of stannous chloride.
(iii) An acidified solution gives a yellow precipitate with hydrogen sulphide.
Non-volatile matter - Leaves not more than 0.1 per cent of the residue.
Assay - Dissolve about 0.2 g. accurately weighed, in about 20 ml. of boiling water and 5 ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide; cool, add 5 ml. of 1 N hydrochloric acid, followed by about 3 g. of sodium bicarbonate, and titrate the mixture with 0.1 N iodine, using starch as indicator. EAch ml. of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.004946 g. As2O3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Arsenicum Album in fine powder 10 g. Glycerin 100 ml.
Strong Alcohol 100 ml.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity (about 800 ml.)
to make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
Heat fine powder of Arsenicum Album with Glycerin at 100* V until a clear solution is obtained. Cool this solution and add to it 750 ml. of Purified Water and 100 ml. of Strong Alcohol. Mix well and bring the volume to one thousand millilitres by adding Purified Water if found necessary.
(b) Potency : 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration Ic Drug Strength 1/100 Arsenicum Album is fine powder 10 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(d) Potency : 3x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class VI (solution).
Caution - Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constitute and Action - It is a white oxide of Arsenic.
When small doses are taken internally it has a tonic effect on nervous system and circulation, increasing the flow of saliva, gastric and intestinal juices, stimulating peristalsis, improving digestion.
Toxic doses produce violent gastro-enteritis with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, dryness of the mouth and throat, burning in the stomach. The heart becomes irritable weak, and fatty degeneration of the heart muscles ensues.
Red blood corpuscles decrease and blood becomes less coagulable. The urine becomes scanty, albuminous and bloody. Herpetic, eczematous and urticarious eruption follows. The nervous system is profoundly affected with disorder of motor and sensory functions, and depression of respiratory centres, tremors and multiple neuritis. The poison is found in urine, saliva, tears and sweat. Fatty degeneration in general affecting kidneys, liver, stomach, heart and muscles.
Assay - Evaporate 2.0 g. of 2x; 10.0 g. of 3x dilution on water bath. The residue is dissolved in 1 ml. NaOH (15 ml. by warming. The clear solution is diluted to 50 ml. by water). Add 1 drop of p-ethoxychrysodin in hydrochloride solution and neutralize with hydrochloric acid. Add 10 ml. hydrochloric acid (additional) and titrate the solution with 0.1 N potassium bromate solution, p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride as indicator. The main quantity is made to flow in a measured quantity and at the end of the titration 0.1 ml. indicator is added (fine burette).
0.1 g. p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride is dissolved in 100 g. 60 Percent ethanol (colour change- red to yellow).
The content of As2O3 should be minimum 0.95 Percent and maximum 0.01 Percent: minimum for 2x potency 0.094 Percent and maximum 0.105 Percent.
Triturated powder for 3x potency.
Assay -Dissolve 0.3 of 1 or 2.0 g. of 3 Dec. dilution in 20 ml. water with the addition of 1 g. sodium hydrogen carbonate and 0.1 g. dried sodium carbonate, cool and dilute it to 50 ml. in measuring flask. dd to this 20 ml. solution, 30 ml. water and 1 drop of p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride solution and neutralize with hydrochloric acid. Add additional 10 ml. hydrochloric acid, and titrate the solution with 0.1 N potassium bromate solution with p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride solution as an indicator, in which as much quantity is allowed to flow and at the end of trituration 0.1 ml. indicator solution is added (accurate burette).
(1 ml. 0.1 N potassium bromate solution = 0.004945 As2O3). Content is calculated from the difference is reading of main consumption and blank; for 1x triturate it should be minimum 9.90 and maximum 10.1 Percent and for 2x triturate minimum 9.95 and maximum 1.01 Percent.
Potency : 2x White triturate amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of As2O3.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Arsenicum Album.
Potency : 3x White triturated amorphous powder, or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w of As2O3.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. (char it in Silica crucible to ash, dissolve the ash into 20 ml.
water in case of trituration) and 5 ml. water in case of trituration) and 5 ml. of 1N Sodium hydroxide: add 5 ml 1N hydrochloric acid followed by about 3 g of sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.01 N iodine using starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.01 N iodine is equivalent to 0.00049 g of As2O3.
AURUM METALLICUM (Aur Met)
Chemical Symbol : Au At. Wt: 196.967
Description : A bright yellow metal; most malleable and ductile; in powdered form it is brown. It is not attacked by air or by hydrogen sulphide. Ordinary acids do not attack it; soluble in aqua regia. Its specific gravity is 19.3. It melts at 1063 and boils at about 2600. Gold generally occurs in the free state, and its commercial purification is commonly effected electrolytically.
Identification : i) With sodium hydroxide solutions of gold salts give a brown precipitate which is soluble in excess of the reagent.
ii) When treated with stannous chloride, solution of salt in aqua regia slowly forms a purple precipitate (purple of Cassius).
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10
Aurum Metallicum 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Precipitated gold is used in the preparation of the product. The pathogenesis is a combined account of metallic gold, the chloride and the double chloride of gold and sodium.
In chronic poisoning the effect is particularly seen on bony, cartilaginous and glandular tissue and on fibrous membranes and strauma.
Its action on the mind is characteristic: feels like going crazy and becoming imbecile, feels like committing suicide.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x Yellow coloured amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w/ to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Au.
Assay : Complies with the assay method, given under Aurum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light yellow coloured amorphous powder.
Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w of Au.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Aurum Metallicum.
BAPTISIA TINCTORIA (Bapt.)
Bot. Name : Baptisia tinctoria Vent. Family : Leguminoseae
History : This plant was officially used in medicine from 1830 to 1840. It somewhat resembles asparagus. The indigo was used as an antiseptic dressing when wounds were accompanied by low fever. Dr. W.L. Thompson introduced it in homoeopathic practice in 1851.
Description : An erect, perennial herb, planted as an ornamental plant, glabrous and somewhat glaucous, much branched, 1.5 m in height. Leaves palmately compound are made u of 3 leaflets, leaflets cuneate-obovate; about 1.5 cm. long; obtuse; stipules very small and caducous. Flowers bright yellow, about 1.25 cm. long, few in larger than the straight lateral petals and keel. Pod sub-globose or ovoid, 1.25 cm. or less long, with slender beak.
Macroscopical : Fleshy up to 4 cm. in thickness, usually cut into elongated cylindrical segments, the crown from 5 to 8 cm. in thickness, more or less warty and marked by stem scars; outer surface dark brown ; usually longitudinally wrinkled, transversely warty or the thicker pieces covered with soft, corky layer, fracture tough, and fractured surface whitish.
Microscopical : (powdered) - Light greyish to greyish brown, starch grains numerous, simple or 2 to 4 compound, the individual grains spheroidal, plane - convex up to 16 n.
Diagram Baptisia Tinctoria
diameter, the larger grain occasionally showing a central cleft, fragments of parenchyma, the cells of which are filled with starch, relatively few fragments of slightly lignified cork tissue, with cells being yellowish brown tracheae with slit like or bordered, pored, associated with fragments of sclerenchyma fibres that are long thick-walled, fragments of medullary rays with cells having thick lignified and porous walls and containing starch.
Distribution : Found in Southern New England and New York West-ward to Minnesota and South of Florida.
Part used 1 : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10
Baptisia tinctoria, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 333 ml.
Strong Alcohol 700 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class III.
Constituents and Action : The analysis of the root was made by Dr. Greene to obtain the alkaloid: the alkaloid was pale yellow crystals of various forms - some being perfect octahedre, the other physical or chemical properties are yet not fully known. Apart from an alkaloid it also contains a glycoside and a purgative substance.
In small doses it is a laxative; in large doses it is a violent emetic and cathartic exciting gastro intestinal inflammation.
It increases the secretion of liver and glandular appendages of the mucus membranes of the intestinal tract.
It has also a considerable power as a local as well as systemic antiseptic in obstinate and painful ulcers, threatening or existing gangrene and in gangrenous sores.
Standard for Finished product : (HPI)
Baptisia Tinctoria
Baptisia : Mother tincture Tinctoria
Alcohol content : 63.0 to 67.0 Percent v/v.
Sp. gr. : 0.880 to 0.905.
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v.
/\ max. : 250 nm.
Identification : a. Colour Tests:
1. A mixture of 1 ml. tincture with 10 ml. (45 Percent) spirit shows an intensive pale blue luminescence under UV light. After the addition of a drop of Ammonia the colour changes to bluish green. (B australis has more coloration than B tinctoria).
2. On dilution of 1 ml. tincture with 10 ml. water, produces of faint bluish fluorescence in day light.
3. Mix the solution prepared under 2 with 0.2 ml. Ferric potassium sulfate solution (5 Percent) to form first a light solution with B tinctoria, and then pale brown, pale yellow coloured. B australis forms immediately a dark reddish brown precipitate and the liquid turns brown.
4. Mix 5 ml. tincture with 10 ml. water, and extract twice with about 10 ml. ether. Treat the ether layer with 5 ml. hydrochloric acid (in 5 Percent) and wash with 10 ml. water. Mix both hydrochloric acid and water extracts together, and evaporate to dryness on a waterbath, add one drop fuming Nitric acid to the residue, which gives a reddish violet colour.
5. To 1ml. of tincture add a pinch of magnesium powder and two drops of Conc. Hydrochloric acid, a pink colour develops (HPI).
b. Carry out TLC Chloroform Extract using Methanol: ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase. Under UV light four blue spots appear at Rf:0.04, 0.14, 0.57, 0.7. With Dragendorff's reagent four spots appear at Rf 0.04, 0.37, 0.43 and 0.57.
BARYTA CARBONICA (Ba. carb.)
Chemical Symbol : BaCO3 Mol. Wt. 197.349
Description : A white heavy powder with no taste and odour. Poison. It is almost insoluble in water; readily decomposed by acids with the evolution of carbon dioxide; soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and acetic acid. Its specific gravity is 4.43. It occurs in nature as mineral witherite and is purified by precipitation. Contains not less than 98 per cent BaCO3.
Identification : i) Moistened with hydrochloric acid and heated on a platinum wire in a Bunsen flame, it imparts a green colour to the flame.
ii) Heat 1g. with 5ml. of nitric acid, cool, dilute with three times its volume of water and filter; the filtrate gives a precipitate with sulphuric acid.
Assay : Cover 4g. accurately weighed with 50ml. of water, run in 50 ml. of 1 N Hydrochloric acid. Boil, cool and titrate excess of the acid with 1N Sodium hydroxide using bromphenol blue as indicator.
Each ml of 1 N Hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 0.09868g. BaCO3.
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Baryta Carbonica 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Caution : Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constituents and Action : The carbonate of Barium and the acetate of Barium have identical actions and can be taken together. Provings were also made by both of these compounds. Baryta muriatica has also similar action but it is slow in its pace.
Barium is the most poisonous of the alkaline earth but the effect is counter-balanced because of its slow absorption.
It has an action on the muscular tissue, stimulates both stripped and unstripped muscles.
The walls of the stomach and intestines are thrown into violent contractions which result in vomiting and purging.
When injected intravenously cause violent tonic and clonic spasms from stimulation of spinal cord and medulla; they finally paralyse the Central Nervous System. The heart is accelerated and the blood pressure markedly increases by the contraction of the muscular walls of the vessels eventually the heart beats irregularly and ceases in systole.
It is slowly absorbed from the intestines and to some extent is stored in bones.
It is excreted through urine.
Standards of Finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.30 per cent w/w to not more than 10.30 per cent w/w of BaCO3
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Baryta Carbonica.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.93 per cent w/w to not more than 1.03 per cent w/w of BaCO3.
Assay : Take about 5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. water and..........follow the assay method given under Baryta Carbonica.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.093 per cent w/w to not more than 0.103 per cent w/w of BaCO3.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g. char in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 50 ml O.IN hydrochloric acid, boil, cool and titrate excess of acid with O.IN sodium hydroxide using bromo cresol blue as indicator. Each ml of O.IN hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 0.00987 g of BaCO3.
BELLADONNA (Bell.) Bot. Name: A large, bushy, perennial herb with a thick, fleshy, juicy, branched and spreading root. The plant is 1-1.6 meters high, cylindrical, smooth, leaves numerous, alternate below, opposite above, one larger than other, short-stalked, 7-23 cm. long, ovate, entire dark green. Flowers solitary (rarely 2 or 5 together) axillary pedicillate, drooping, pedicle as long as or longer than calyx 5 cleft, corolla bell- shaped, about 2.5 cm. long, five-lobed, dull reddish purple, tinged with pale green fruit - a berry.
Microscopical : Leaf, epidermal cells with more or less sinuous anticlinal walls and striated cuticle. Trichomes, more numerous on young leaves, simple uniseriate conical trichomes, with smooth outer walls, short clavate glandular trichomes, with uniseriate talks and cellular heads. Stomata, more numerous in the lower epidermis, of the cruciferous type. Lamina, palisade in single layer; occasionally cells of the cruciferous type.
Diagram Atropa Belladonna
Occasionally cells of the spongy parenchyma containing micro- sphenoidal crystals, palisade ration 6 to 10 mid-rib containing an arc of several collateral vascular bundles with upper supernumerary strands of phloem also with upper collenchyma. Stem : and epidermis small strands of long, thin walled, slightly lignified pericyclic fibres, and a circle of bicollateral bundles. Parenchyma of the cortex and pith interspersed with crystal cells. Root : epidermis and cortex, usually lost, cork of 6 to 8 layers of brownish quadrangular cells; phelloderm of 3 to 5 layers of radially arranged parenchymatous cells; secondary phloem containing simple rounded or angular starch grains, and forming a broad band consisting of small bundles of sieve tissue, embedded in abundant phloem parenchyma, the inner part radially arranged with numerous idioblasts containing microsphenoidal crystals of calcium oxalate. Cambiform tissue of about 5 to 8 layers of rectangular prismatic cells, secondary xylem forming the greater part of the root and consisting mainly of cellulosic xylem parenchyma, radially arranged with numerous scattered groups of about 3 to 10 vessels with associated pitted tracheids and fibres, vessels are bordered pitted; occasionally reticulate, sometimes sinuous, distinctly articulated, the segments about 50 to 145 long; interxylary phloem occasional, small scattered groups of sieve tubes; medullary rays 1 to 5 cells wide, cells near the vessels sometimes thick-walled and pitted a central solid diarch strand on primary xylem. Root-stock; periderm and phloem, similar to those of the root, sometimes with portions of parenchymatous cortex remaining externally and occasional pericyclic fibre; a broad cream coloured of yellowish xylem showing secondary growth as alternating rings of vessels, similar to those of root and much lignified xylem parenchyma with bordered pitts; perimedullary phloem with occasional slender fibres, singly or in groups of upto of about 5 outer parts of pith, parenchymatous with idioblasts containing microsphenoidal crystals of calcium oxalate; sometimes enclosing an internal periderm; inner part of pith, lacunae. With polygonal epidermal cells having straight walls and cuticular striae. Testa of the seed, white to brown with undulate ridges over anticlinal walls. Odour, slight and characteristic, taste, sweetish and slightly bitter.
Distribution : It is distributed in Central and Southern Europe. Cultivated in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, India.
Part Used : Whole plant.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Belladonna in coarse powder 100 g Purified water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 470 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part of tincture, 4 parts of Purified water and 5 parts of strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class I.
Constituents and Action :
Belladonna owes its properties to the alkaloids it contains. They are Atropine, Hyoscyamine, and Scopalamine.
They are present in varying proportions in different specimens of the plant. Atropine is the predominant alkaloid and because of the great similarity of physiological action of all the three, Atropine and Belladonna are associated together for their pathogenesy. Small toxic doses of Belladonna cause congestion of blood, to the head and face; throbbing and bursting feelings, sensation of heat and giddiness. The conjunctiva look injected, the vision gets disturbed, accommodation is difficult and the pupils become dilated.
When larger doses are taken the symptoms are accentuated. The ability to swallow is abolished, speech becomes difficult, the pupils become so dilated that pupils disappear, accommodation is totally paralysed and often diplopia occurs. While all effectual vision is lost it is replaced by hallucinations. This active stage finally steps into depression and later into coma. Tremors occur and convulsion set in which may cause death due to failure of respiration.
All the above action is essentially a stimulation of the central nervous system followed by depression.
Standard for finished produce : (HPI)
Belladonna : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 41.0 to 45 Percent v/v
pH : Between 6.4 to 7.0
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 272 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour test : Evaporate 1 ml. of mother tincture to dryness, extract with chloroform, evaporate the chloroform extract and treat the residue to a few drops of Nitric acid and evaporate. Moisten the residue to a solution of potassium hydroxide in acetone - a violent colour is produced.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using methanol ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase and Dragendorff's reagent as spray reagent. Under uv light two spots appear at Rf 0.64 and 0.72. With spray reagent one spot appears at Rf 0.21. Corresponds to atropine.
BRYONIA ALBA (Bry. alba)
Bot. Name : Bryonia alba Linn. Family : Cucurbitaceae
History : The "bryonia" is derived from its meaning "Growing rapidly", because the stem grows rapidly. The flowers and roots are yellowish white - `albus' means white. This remedy was mentioned by Dioscoroids. It was introduced in Homoeopathic practice in 1816.
Description: A perennial climbing herbaceous vine with a fusiform, branched root. Leaves alternate, cordate five-lobed, rough, bright green in colour. Flowers small, greenish being on long peduncles, and the female flowers are larger than the male, berried globular, back and about 6 mm. in diameter.
Macroscopical : The root is in the form of circular or ellipitical slices from 1.5 to 10 cm. in breadth and up to 15 mm. in thickness, the edges light grey or yellowish, rough and striate, the cut surface light yellowish orange to moderate showing a thin bark and broad wood, the latter exhibiting a thin cortex and several concentric zones of collateral fibrovascular bundles; fracture short and mealy whitish internally.
Diagram Bryonia Dioica
Microscopical : (Powder) Light yellowish orange to light yellow fragments of parenchyma, numerous starch grains, both simple and 2-6 compound, the individual grains spheroidal, plano convex and polygonal, usually with a central hilum, from 4 to 254/4 width, reticulate or with bordered pores.
Distribution : Middle and South of Europe.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Bryonia alba in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x with dilute alcohol; 4x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action: Bryonia alba - the white bryony roots yield a glucoside Bryonin. It is a drastic purgative.
It irritates or inflammes many organs and tissues of the body, the muscles and the fibrous tissues, the mucous membranes of the alimentary tract and the respiratory system; the liver, the lungs and the synovial membranes, the internal ear and certain glands. The drug also produces a febrile condition.
Standard for Finished product: HPI
Bryonia alba : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 Percent v/v.
pH : Between 5.5 to 7.0
Sp. gr. : From 0.883 to 0.940.
Total solids : Not less than 0.60 Percent w/v.
/\ max. : 267 nm.
Identification : Colour Test : To 1 ml. mother tincture acidified with hydrochloric acid, add a few drops of Mayer's reagent, a yellow precipitate develops.
Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract drug or mother tincture, after removing its alcohol using chloroform methanol 9:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light four spots appear at Rf 0.28, 0.48, 0.82 and 0.93.
CALCAREA CARBONICA (Calcium Carbonate of Hahnemann) (Cal. carb.)
Chemical Symbol: CaCO3 Mol. Wt. 100.08
History: Hahnemann used the impure carbonate of lime as it exists in oyster shells. He prepared it from the snow white portion of the soft middle layer of the shells. It differs from the pure chemical manufacture of calcium carbonate.
Description: The substance used by Hahnemann was an impure carbonate of lime as it exists in the oyster shell. Take well selected, tolerably thick oyster shells, clean and break into small piece. The pure middle layer is selected, washed carefully with purified water, dried over a water bath and reduced to a fine powder using non-metallic instruments. It is fine, white, microcrystalline powder, odourless, tasteless. Almost insoluble in water, slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide. This may also be obtained by the process of precipitation. The precipitated calcium carbonate contains not less than 98.5 percent of CaCO3 calculated with reference to the substance dried to constant weight at 105*
Identification: i) It responds to the reactions characteristic of calcium and of carbonates.
ii) Loses not more than 1.0 percent of its weight when dried to constant weight at 105*
Assay: (for Calcium Carbonate Precipitate); weigh accurately about 1g. and transfer to a 250 ml. beaker. Moisten with a few ml. of water and add drop wise sufficient dilute hydrochloric acid to effect complete solution.
Transfer the solution to a 250 ml. flask, and water to make the volume and mix. Pipette 50 ml. of the solution in a suitable container, add 100 ml. water and 15 ml. of solution of sodium hydroxide, 40 mg. of pure, oxide indicator preparation and 3 ml. of solution of naphthol green and titrate with 0.05 M disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate, until the solution is deep blue in colour.
Each ml. of 0.05 M disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate is equivalent to 0.005005 g. of CaCO3.
Storage: Preserve calcium carbonate in a well-closed container.
Preparation (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Calcarea Carbonica Precipitate 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2 x and higher to be triturated; 6 x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a calcium carbonate of 96 Percent to 98 Percent purity.
The effects of line starvation and the provings have to be considered for the pathogenesis. General weakness with fatigue particularly while climbing up the hills. Shortness of breath, reduced body resistance which measures the ability to catch cold and easy perspiration developing fully, the metabolic state leading to tuberculous emaciation.
The emaciation is marked at neck and limbs but has a prominent distended abdomen.
Glands are often affected and bones tend to become soft, but the face remains plump.
Test for Potency
a) Reaction
Add 0.5 of 1x and 2x trituration in 10 ml. water with dil. hydrochloric acid after the addition of a few drops of ammonium oxalate solution and ammonia (liquid) till it is alkaline.
A fine white precipitate of calcium oxalate is formed either immediately or half an hour later.
b) Assay
0.5 of 1x or 5.0 g. of 2x and 10 g. of 3x are ground fine in 5 ml. or 20 ml. of water respectively and dissolved in 10 ml. of hydrochloric acid hot and is filtered from any trace and at 70* C liquid ammonia is added till the solution is alkaline. After half hour precipitated calcium oxalate is collected on a small filter paper, and washed with hot water and is dissolved in 5 ml hot dilute hydrochloric acid. The hot solution is titrated against 0.1 N potassium permanganates solution should amount 9.5- 9.8 ml. for 2x to 2x trituration and 1.90 to 1.96ml for 3x trituration. It corresponds to the purity of 95.98 Percent of CaCO3 (1ml of 0.1 N potassium permanganate solution = 0.005045g. cacO3 10g. of 4x trituration in 20 ml. water at a time with 10 drops of dil hydrochloric acid is dissolved. The content is estimated similarly by filtrating against 0.01 N potassium permanganate solution. It should consume 1.90-1.96ml.
(1 ml. of 0.01 N potassium permanganate solution = 0.0005045 g CaCO3)
0.5g of 1x,5.0g of 2x or 10g. of 3x in 20ml. water and 10 drops of dilute hydrochloric acid finely ground and is refluxed on water bath solution. Add 20 drops of sodium hydroxide solution and 3 drops of freshly prepared Murexide solution and it is titrated against 0.1 N iodine solution the colour changes to violet. The consumption should amount to 4.8-4.9ml respectively. Then the content to 9.6-9.8 Percent of CaCO3 to 1x trituration. 0.96-0.98 Percent of CaCO3 for the 2x trituration 0.96- 0.098 Percent of CaCO3 for 3x.
1 ml of 0.1 N iodine solution = 0.010009 gram calcium carbonate.
Standard for finished product :
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.35 per cent w/w to not more than 10.35 per cent w/w of CaCO3.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Calcarea Carbonica.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of CaCO3.
Assay : Char about 5 g. accurately weighed in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with the ash as given in assay method under Calcarea Carbonica.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w CaCO3.
Assay : Char about 20 g in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in minimum quantity of dilute hydrochloric acid.......follow the assay method given under Calcarea Carbonica.
CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA (Cal. phos.)
Chemical Symbol : Ca3(PO4)2 Mol. Wt. 310.183
Description : A white, amorphous or micro-crystalline powder, odourless and tasteless. It is stable in air. It is almost insoluble in water and is decomposed slightly in boiling water, insoluble in alcohol. It is readily soluble in dilute nitric or hydrochloric acid. Its specific gravity is 3.14. action of calcium chloride and secondary sodium phosphate in the presence of ammonia water. Contains not less than the equivalent of 85.0 Percent of Ca3(PO4)2.
Identification: i) A solution in nitric acid responds to the test of phosphates.
ii) A solution in dilute hydrochloric acid responds to the test of calcium.
iii) It gives a characteristic flame test for calcium.
Arsenic : Not more than 5 parts per million.
Chloride : Dissolve 0.1 g. in water by addition of 1 ml. of nitric acid; the solution complies with the limit test for chlorides.
Lead : Not more than 20 parts per million.
Sulphate : Dissolve 0.15 g in water by the addition of 1 ml of hydrochloric acid; the solution complies with the limit test for sulphates.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 0.2 g and dissolve in a mixture of 50 ml. of water and 2 ml. of water and 2 ml. of hydrochloric acid. Add 25 ml. of dilute ammonium acetate solution and a slight excess of solution of ammonium oxalate, heat for an hour on a water bath and filter, wash and residue with warm water, suspend in 50 ml. of water, acidity to litmus paper with dilute sulphuric acid. Heat to 70* and titrate with 0.1 N potassium permanganate keeping the solution at 70* during the entire titration. Each ml. of 0.1 N potassium permanganate is equivalent to 0.00517 g. of Ca2(PO4)2.
Storage : Preserve in well closed container.
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10
Calcarea phosphorica in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies
2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Testing of Potency :
a) Reaction :
1. Dip the sample of 1x, 2x, 3x potencies in silver nitrate solution, so that it forms silver phosphate of 1x, 2x, triturate which gives yellow and 3x triturate gives still very pale yellowish colour.
2. 0.5 gm. of 1x, 2x, and 5 gms. of 3 and 4x are dissolved in 10 ml. of water and 10 drops of hot dilute HCl Add 5 to 10 drops of ammonia oxalate solution and liquid ammonia till the solution is alkaline (or at the latest 1/2 an hour). Fine white precipitate of oxalate is formed immediately or at the latest within 1/2 an hour.
b) Assay :
Prepare 0.5 gm. of 1x, 5 gms. of 2x triturate in 10 ml. water and 1 ml. HCl and 10 gms. of 3x triturate in 20 ml. water with 1 ml. HCl. Use these solutions for the following tests -
1. Phosphoric Acid :
Add 1 ml. concentrated ammonia chloride solution and 1 ml. magnesia mixture (prepare the magnesia mixture). Dissolve 55 gms. crystalline magnesium chloride and 105 gms. of ammonium chloride and a little HCl to make the final volume to 1 litre. Remove the precipitate by addition of a few drops of HCl. Heat the solution on the hot water bath and add 2.5 Percent liquid ammonia till the solution is alkaline. Heat for further half hour on the water bath. The precipitate of secondary Magnesia ammonium phosphate is filtered (in 2 cm. diameter) and is washed in 2 ml. hot water. The precipitate with the filter is suspended in 30 ml. hot water and add 2 to 3 drops of methyl orange solution as indicator and is titrated till colour changes against 0.1 N HCl when maximum ammonium phosphate goes into solution as primary Phosphate.
2MgNH4PO4 Plus 4HCl = MgH4(PO4)2 Plus MgCl2 Plus 2NH4Cl
the consumption of 0.1 N HCl should be for 1x, 2x triturate - 5.7 to 5.8, for 3x triturate - 1.10 to 1.20 ml.
(1 ml. 0.1 N HCl = 0.0086007 kCaHOP42H2O.
CACTUS GRANDIFLORUS (Cact. grn.)
Bot. Name : Cereus grandiflorus Mill. Family : Cactaceae
History : The name cactus was originally given by Theophrastus to a spiny plant of Sicily. Dr. Rubini introduced this plant to homoeopathy in 1861.
Description : It is an evergreen under-shrub with a creeping root. The green branching system is succulent and armed with clusters of five or six short radiating spines of brittles. The flowers are large, sweet-scented, white and about 30 cm. in diameter, opening only once, that is, in the evening and closing again before the morning.
Macroscopical : The cactus stem occurs in segments of variable length from 1.5 - 4.0 cms. in diameter and with five to nine angle or ribs, the latter at intervals of about 2 cm. showing tufts of nine to twelve acicular spines about 5 mm. in length.
Microscopical : The transverse section of the stem is 5 to 9 angled in outline. The epidermis is cutinised and papillose cells, a narrow type dermis of three to four rows of collenchyma tissue, a narrow of small open collecteral fibrovascular bundles with bast fibres in the outer portion of the phloem, the bundles separated by medullary rays and a narrow central pith; mucilage sacs and crystal cells scattered throughout the cortex, pith and medullary rays.
Distribution : Generally hot and stony places of tropical America.
Part Used : Flowering stems. Moisture content of fresh stem 566 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/20
Cactus grandiflorus in moderately coarse powder 50 g.
Purified water 283 ml.
Strong alcohol 754 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the mother tincture.
(b) Potencies
2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water, and seven parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class III
Constituents and Action :
It contains cactin, resin, glucose, fat and wax. It is a cardio-tonic. There have been no laboratory investigations of Cactus and our knowledge is on the basis of Rubini's and his wife's provings. Its sphere of action is limited but well defined. It causes violent congestion of blood in many parts of the body but especially in the head and chest. The se congestions are accompanied by pressing pains and constrictive feelings in the affected area.
Standard of finished product : (HPI)
Cactus : Mother tincture Grandiflorus
Alcohol Content : 68.0 to 72.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.5 to 6.5
Specific Gr. : From 0.860 to 0.890
Total Solids : Not less than 0.3 Percent w/w.
/\ Max : 260 and 268 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test
1. Mix 1 ml. tincture with 0.5 ml. HCl solution thus obtained is brilliant green in colour.
2. Add 0.5 ml. (Nesler's Reagent), i.e.
Mercuric Nitrate solution to 5 ml. to 2 ml. tincture solution. The solution becomes light green.
3. Mix 3 ml. tincture with 1 ml. sodium hydroxide solution, the solution be- comes olive green initially, and then after some time finer precipitate will be formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n butanol: acetic acid: water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light three spots appear at Rf 0.32, 0.40 and 0.73.
CALENDULA OFFICINALIS (Calend.)
Bot.Name: Calendula Officinalis Linn. Family : Compositae
History: The name `Calendula' is derived from `Calends' - the first day of the month. The plant flowers on the first day of the month or at least once a month. It was in common use in 16th century, but later fell in disuse.
Dr. Franz introduced this in 1838 in Homoeopathic practice.
Description : A more or less hairy annual, 50-60 cm. high; leaves thickish, oblong to oblong-obovate, 5.15 cm. or more long, entire or minutely and veinately denticulate, more or less less clasping. Head solitary on stout stalks, showy, 4-5 or 10 cm. across, the flat spreading rays white yellow to deep orange; closing at night. Sometimes the plant is proliferous from the involucre bearing several peduncled heads in a circle. Involucre broad usually carious margined bracts in 1 or 2 rows, receptacle naked; cypsela glabrous, incurved, disk flowers, unfertile, pappus none.
Diagram Calendula Officinalis
Microscopical : Fragments of corolla, mounted in water or chloral hydrate, and in the transverse section, exhibit elongated epidermal cells with striated cuticle, the parenchyma cells beneath showing numerous, often yellow, oil globules and irregular chrome-plastids. In the vicinity of the tube will be noted a few long non-glandular hairs, consisting of a double row of thin-walled, more or less collapsed cells with a 1 or 2 celled summit and up to about 950 u in length coarsing through the mesophyll will be noted strands of fibro-vascular tissue, each possessing an annular and spiral trachea - Spinose pollen grains, 3 pored and up to 45 u in diameter will be noted adhering to the corolla.
Distribution : It is cultivated in India.
Parts used : Fresh flowering tops and leaves: moisture content of fresh flowering tops and leaves in 600 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10
Calendula Officinalis moist 700 g.
magma containing solids 100 g.
and plant moisture appr. 600 ml. Strong Alcohol 437 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts Purified Water, five parts Strong Alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action :
Flowers : contain amorphous bitter principle called calendulin tasteless substance analogous to bassorius, traces of essential oil, cleanolic acid, a gum, a sterol, cholesterol, esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and pentadecytic acids - faradiol and armidiol. Plant contains salicylic acid. Roots contain Inulin. It is a styptic, astringent and vulnerary used in wounds and injuries.
In the pre-antiseptic days of the American Civil War it was found serviceable in gun shot wounds promoting healing lessening suppuration and relieving pain. In a proportion of 2 drops of solution to 1 part of normal saline is very soothing.
It favours stimulation and eliminates numerous unpleasant odours. It replaces iodine on sensitive skins.
Standard for Finished Product :
Calendula : Mother tincture Officinalis
Alcohol Content : 38.0 to 42.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.1 to 6.1
Sp. gr. : Not less than 0.933 and not more than 0.970.
Total solids : Not less than 1.8 Percent w/w.
/\ max : 256 and 290 mm
Identification : Colour Test : To 1 ml. of chloroform layer of mother tincture, add one drop of sulphuric acid the chloroform layer turns green.
Carry out TLC of mother tincture using Chloroform methanol (8:2 v/v) as mobile phase. Three spots appear at Rf 0.03, 0.11, and 0.98.
CAMPHORA (Camph)
Chemical Symbol C 10 H 16 O Mol. Wt. 152. 238
History : It is a crystalline volatile substance derived from the Cinnamomum camphora of China and Japan.
Description : A colourless or white crystalline powder, granules or crystalline masses: or pressed blocks of crystalline structure easily cut with a knife. It has a strong characteristic odour and pungent bitter taste, followed by a cooling sensation. It is readily pulverisable in the presence of a little alcohol, or chloroform. It is soluble in about 840 parts of water, 1 part of alcohol and 1 part of ether. It specific gravity is about 0.99. It melts between 174* and 179* slowly volatilizes at ordinary temperature. It is a ketone obtained from Cinnamomum camphora Linn, or from Ocimum canum Sims and is purified by sublimation. Contains not less than 96 per cent of C 10 H 16 O
Identification : i) A solution of 1 g. of the preparation in 4 ml of alcohol is clear and colourless.
ii) It burns with a bright smoky flame.
Non volatile matter : When volatilized at 105* leaves not more than 0.05 per cent of residue.
Assay : Dissolve about 0.1 g accurately weighed in 25 ml of aldehyde free alcohol in a 300 ml flask. Slowly add with constant shaking 75 ml of dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution. Heat on a water bath under a reflux condenser for four hours. Remove the alcohol by distillation, allow to cool, dilute to 200 ml with a 2 per cent v/v solution of sulphuric acid in water and allow to stand for 24 hours. Filter in a tared Gooch crucible and wash the precipitate with successive quantities, each of 10 ml of cold water until the washings are neutral to litmus solution. Dry to constant weight at 80* an weigh. Each gramme of precipitate is equivalent to 0.458 g of C 10 H 16 O.
Preparation Drug strength 1/10 a) Mother tincture Camphore 100g.
Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration : 1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x and 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Rubinis Camphor Saturated solution of camphor in strong alcohol (Saturated Tincture) Drug strength 1/2
Old Method: Class VI
Storage: Mother tincture and potencies should be kept in a well closed container in a cool place.
Assay : Add 0.2 ml. camphor solution in 300 ml conical flash containing 15 ml. alcohol and 75 ml. 2-4, dinitrophenyl- hydrazine solution. Reflux under reflux condenser on a water bath (Boiling water) for four hours. Cool, add 200 ml water and store it in refrigerator for 24 hours. Filter the residue on a dry glass filter and weighing with 50 ml. cold water till neutral (test with litmus paper).
1g. wt = 0.4580g. camphor. To convert into per centage, Divide the number of grams of camphor in 100ml. by density of solution and then add 0.2 to the result.
The solution should contain 9.8 to - 10.2 Percent camphor.
Constituents and Action :
Camphor is slightly antiseptic but it has a much wider sphere of therapeutic action.
In large doses its causes confusion, excitement and headache spasmodic movements ending in convulsions. There is deadly coldness as in a collapse. The convulsions are of cerebral (cortical) origin. The heart's action is reduced in frequency and the blood pressure lowered after a slight rise.
Small doses cause a certain degree of temporary surface warmth and flushing, a feeling of warmth and comfort in the stomach- burning from the throat to the stomach.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Potency 1x contain : not less than 9.10 Percent to not more than 10.10 Percent of the drug.
Potency 2x contain : not less than .910 Percent to not more than 1.01 Percent of the drug.
Potency 3x contain : not less than 0.091 to not more than 0.101 Percent of the drug.
CANTHARIS (Canthr.)
Zoological Name : Lytta vesicatoria Febricus
Family : Cantharidae
Description : This fly of the middle and south of Europe appears in the month of May and June, especially on the white, popular, privet, ash elder, lilac, etc. upon the leaves of which they feed. The insect is about half an inch long, of a golden yellow green; head inclined, almost cordiform; antennae filliform, of twelve joints, black antennulae equally filliform,the posteriors swollen at the extremity; eyes large of a deep brown; mouth with an upper lip and two bifid jaws; body elongated, almost round and cylindric; two wings; elytrae soft, semi cylindric, marked with longitudinal streaks head and feet full of whitish hairs; the odour sweetish, nauseous; taste very acrid, almost caustic - the larvae of these insects have yellowish white bodies, formed of three rings, short feet, rounded head, two short filliform antennae, two jaws and four feelers; they live in the ground, feed on roots, undergo their metamorphosis, and do not come out till they are perfect insects. In May and June, when the insects swarm upon the trees, they are collected in the morning at sunrise, when they are torpid from the cold of the night, and easily let go their hold. Persons with the faces protected by masks and their hands with gloves, shake the tree or beat them with poles, and the insects are received as they fall upon linen cloth spread underneath. They are then exposed in sieves to the vapour of boiling vinegar, and having been thus deprived of life, are dried either in the sun or in apartments heated by stoves. The larger files are much better for medical use than the smaller ones.
Distribution: It is a Spanish fly and is found in Middle and South of Europe, and South Western Asia. It feeds on ash and other trees.
Part Used : The whole dried fly.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Cantharis in fine power 100 g Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class IV.
Constituents and Action :
The active principle of Cantharis is an anhydride known as Canthardin (C 10 H 12 O 1). It is more soluble in alcohol than in water.
Its action as a vesicant is slow, ten or twelve hours, but it can be hastened by the application of hot poultice. An ointment acts faster than poultice.
It was used in the past as diuretic in chronic nephritis. It is used as a popular hair wash in alopecia.
It acts on the skin causing redness and burning and ultimately forms a blister.
Standard for Finished Produce : (HPI)
Cantharis : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 87.0 to 91.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 9.5 to 10.2
Sp. gr. : From 0.810 to 0.840
Total solids : Not less than 1.20 Percent v/v
/\ max. : 265 and 223 nm.
Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using cyclohexane - acetone (1:1 v/v) as mobile phase and spray with 2:4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution. Four spots appear at Rf 0.52, 0.68, 0.86 and 0.94 all are red. 0.94 corresponds with Canthardine. or Carry out Co-TLC of Mother tincture on Silica Gel (G) with canthardine using Cyclohexane. Acetone (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and 2:4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution for spray. Red spots corresponding to Cantherdine appears.
CARBO VEGETABILIS (Carbo. veg)
Description : A bluish-black porous substance, having a peculiar glistening aspect and retaining minutely both the form and texture of the wood from which it was made. It is odourless and tasteless; insoluble and infusible. Its specific gravity is 1.7. It is commonly prepared from selected birch or beach wood by heating at high temperatures. The product is washed free form mineral matter and dried. Charcoal had the property of absorbing gases and of condensing them within its porous mass. It is denser when obtained by pile-burning than when prepared in retorts. On continuous exposure to gases it becomes saturated with them but its absorbing powers are restored by heating it to redness out of contact with air.
Identification : i) When heated in air it is converted into carbon dioxide.
ii) When burnt, it should give no smoke or unpleasant odour.
iii) Absence of flame shows freedom from organic compounds.
Ash : Not more than 10.0 per cent
Storage : Preserve in well-closed containers.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Carbo Vegetabilis in fine power 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Vegetable charcoal is generally made from poplar, beach or birch wood.
Charcoal has the properties of absorbing gases in its interstices and thus ordinarily contains oxygen which when charcoal is brought in contact with decomposing organic matter, is released and oxidizes the purifying mass and at the same time charcoal absorbs th gases that are formed by the oxidizing process. It has no direct action on the microbes of putrefaction but favours the development of the aerobic organism at the expense of the anaerobic.
It passes through the stomach and intestines unabsorbed and but rarely causes any mechanical irritation.
The deodorant and antiseptic properties of wood charcoal were known before Hahnemann made its first proving and demonstrated its marvellous powers in the cure of diseases. Charcoal when applied locally will greatly reduce the horrible odour of foul ulcers of cancerous tissue that has begun to break down.
It led him to believe that it would prove to be a useful medicine when given in homoeopathic doses. Many of the cardinal symptoms of Carbo Veg are proved by the two properties, disintegration of tissue and putrefaction.
CAUSTICUM (Caust.)
Description : This preparation has been introduced in Homoeopathic Pharmacy by Hahnemann and is peculiar to homoeopathy. It is of indefinite composition and hence should be made strictly in accordance with Hahnemann's instructions. Take a piece of freshly burnt lime of about 1 kg. Dip this piece into a vessel of purified water for about one minute; then lay it in a dry dish in which it will soon turn into powder with the development of much heat and its peculiar odour, called line vapour. Of this fine powder take 60 g. and mix with it in a (warmed) porcelain triturating bowl, a solution of of 60 ml. bisulphate of Potash, which has been heated to red heat and melted, cooled again and then pulverised and dissolved in 60 ml. of boiling hot water. This thickish mixture is put into a small glass retort, to which the helm is attacked with wet bladder; into the tube of the helm is inserted the receiver, half submerged in water, the retort is warmed by the gradual approach of a charcoal firm below and all the fluid is then distilled over by applying suitable heat. The distilled fluid will be about 30 ml. of watery clearness containing causticum in concentrated form.
It smells like the lye of caustic potash. Taste burning in the throat; it freezes only at a lower temperature than that of water. It does not respond to the tests for sulphates and for calcium.
Preparation : (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/2
Causticum 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Causticum is a product of the crude pharmaceutics of the time of Hahnemann. He prepared it by distilling a mixture of recently slaked lime and previously burned and melted potassium bisulphate. Since the provings have been made by the Hahnemann's original product, his instruction for preparing are adhered to by all modern homoeopathic chemists. The preparation is somewhat of uncertain nature and the modern liquor potassea is often dispensed as a substitute.
If reflects the effects of potassium salts in general which are to produce great body weakness - physical and mental.
Irritative conditions, muscular twitching and spasms involving single muscles or group of muscles - limb or end in convulsions. Well marked hyperaesthesia of special senses, hearing and touch - i.e. Menier's disease. They are started by jerk, noise etc. particularly in sleep.
Stammering as a form of irregular paresis or inco-ordination claims notice here.
Unilateral paresis of facial nerve due to prolonged exposure to cold dry wind.
CHAMOMILLA (Cham.)
Bot. Name : Anthemis nobilis Linn Family : Compositae
Description : An annual herb with large, woody fibrous roots, stem erect 30-60 cm. high, solid, smooth, shining, strongly striate, with long, slender branches, leaves numerous, alternate, sessile, amplexicaul, upper simple, the other bi or tri-pinnatified, the segments strap shaped, narrow and minutely pointed. Flowers numerous, terminal solitary on striated naked peduncles. Ray florets white, oblong with 3 teeth; the disk florets yellow and conical.
Diagram Matricaria Chamomilla
Distribution : India, Asia and Europe.
Part Used : Dried whole plant in flowering or the whole fresh plant.
Microscopical : Each dried flower head is hemispherical and about 12 to 20 mm in diameter. The florets are of a white to pale buff colour, the outer ones hiding the involucre of bracts. A few hermaphrodite, tubular florets are usually found near the apex of the solid receptacle. A transition between typical tubular florets and typical ligulate ones is often seen. The ligulate florets show three teeth (or occasionally two, the centre one being the most developed. There are four principal veins. The corolla is contracted near its base into a tube from which bifid style projects - The ovary is inferior and devoid of pappus. Each floret arises in the axil of a thin membranous bract or palae which has blunt apex.
At the base of a receptacle is an involucre consisting of 2 to 3 rows have a strong aromatic odour and a bitter taste.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Chamomilla in coarse powder 100 g
Purified Water 500 g
Strong Alcohol 537 ml
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and the five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1
Constituent and Action :
Essential oil, anthemic acid, anthemidine, tannin, a and B heteroside chamozulene, salicylic acid, apigenin, acetylated apigenin, glucoside, and matricaria, an acetylated derivative of sesquiterpene.
Contains up to 30 Percent glycoside which possess spasmolytic action in large doses, paralyses smooth muscle.
Stimulant, emmenagogue, diaphoretic carminative and used in constitutional debility and hysteria, dyspepsia and intermittent fever. Used externally for rheumatism and colic, flatulence.
The German chamomile contains about 1/2 Percent of a blue volatile oil. The drug is diaphoretic and an emmenogogue. If produce a marked impermiability of the sensory and excites motor nerves to cause clonic spasms of intestines and uterus.
In large doses it produces epistaxis and emesis with excessive mental irritability, used as herb tea in France and Germany, is a great scotter of pains.
Standard for finished Products :
Chamomilla = Mother tincture
Alcohol Content = 47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
Sp. gr. = From 0.910 to 0.940
pH = Between 5.5 to 6.5
Total Solids = Not less than 0.80 v/v
/\ max. = 320 = 268 nm
Identification : (a) Colour Test :
1. Add ferric chloride solution to the tincture, colour of tincture becomes dark. There is no precipitate or any green colouration.
2. Dissolve a few crystals of copper tartarate in 1 ml sodium hydroxide solution and add 2 ml tincture to it. After some time when cold yellowish brown precipitate (Fructose) is formed.
3. Shake 5 ml tincture with 10 ml petroleum either and concentrate to 1/3 volume. Add 3-4 drops of hydrochloric acid. the solution becomes beautiful green. Evaporate petroleum ether solution to dryness and keep the residue over hydrochloric acid. Temporary brilliant green colour is formed.
4. Dilute 1 ml tincture with 15 ml water and make it alkaline with ammonia or with sodium hydroxide. The solution luminesces with brilliant pale blue under analytical lamp (umbelliferol) chromatogramme of tincture (Chamomilla). Solvent n-Butanol-Acetic acid-water, (organic phase) under day-light Plus diazalised sulfanilic acid
Under UV light Rf = 0.90 Orange 0.90-0.91 blue Under Uv light Plus Ammonia 0.93 blue bottle blue (Unstable bright 0.90 intense blue.
b) Carry out TLC chloroform extract using chloroform; methanol 95.5 v/v as mobile phase and antimony bichloride as Spray reagent. Three spots appear at Rf 0.43; 0.56; and 0.85.
To 1 ml of mother tincture add 1 ml of water and make alkaline with ammonia solution. A greenish yellow fluroscence is produced.
CHELIDONIUM MAJUS (Chel. Maj.)
Bot.Name: Chelidonium majus Linn Family : Papaveraceae
Description : A perennial herb 30-120 cm. in height, loosely- branching with acrid saffron-coloured juice. Leaves deeply pinnatifid, the segment ovate or obovate, cerate or lobed sometimes 2-pinnatifid, glaucous beneath.
Flowers in a small peduncled umbels 6-8 cm across; sepals 2, petals 4 m yellow in colour, stamens many, ovary of 2 carpels the style very short with 2-lobed stigmas; capsule lined, 2.5-5 cm. long, climbing from base upwards.
Diagram Chelidonium Majus
Distribution : Europe in waste places, old walls, hedges, borders of highways near habitations, particularly in Germany and France.
Part Used: Whole plant.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Chelidonium majus in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 468 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action :
Chelidonium belongs to poppy family and contains alkaloids resembling those found in opium. Four have been identified.
Chelidonine and alpha, beta, gamma homochelidonine. They produce moderate depression of central nervous system and narcosis.
They slow the heart by direct action on the cardiac muscles and cause the respiration to be slowed and depended. In the mother tincture other counter-acting alkaloids are also present, which do not allow the action to progress. It acts powerfully on the liver and the neighbouring organs; the base of the right lungs: It also affects the kidney and disturbs the circulation.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Chelidonium : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 41.0 to 45.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.2 to 6.5
Sp. gr. : From 0.910 to 0.940
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/w
/\ max : 263, 310 (b) nm.
Identification : 1. Colour Test : Evaporate 1 ml. of mother tincture on water bath, dis- solve the residue in 5-6 drops of dilute hydrochloric acid, add a few drops Mayer's reagent, an abundant brown precipitate appears.
2. Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol : acetic acid : water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf 0.34, 0.52, 0.61, 0.67 all blue and 0.84 red.
3. Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using chloroform : methanol (9:1 v/v)
as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf 0.15, 0.44, 0.54, 0.67 (all blue) and 0.82 (yellow).
CINCHONA OFFICINALIS (Cine of)
Bot. Name: Cinchona Officinalis Linn. Family: Rubiaceae.
History: Countess Ann wife of fourth count, was cured of tertian fever by the use of bark in 1638. Its virtues we made know to Europe in 1640. Botanists identified the plant only in 1737. This is of particular interest to Homoeopathic science: Hahnemann was studying the plant when the discovered the law of similars.
Description: A slender tree, 7-10 meter high, rough, brown,yellow within, with black and whitish marking on the bark, leaves small, smooth, ovate, lanceolate; shining and reddish petioles,flowers rosy.
Distribution: India (Nilgiris, Assam, and Khasi Hills) and Sikkim, at an elevation of 2,000 to 2,500 meters.
Macroscopical: stem bark quilled or curved pieces up to 30 cm or more long from about 2 to 6 mm thick; outer surface dull brown- grey or grey and frequently bearing lichens and mosses; usually rough, being marked with transverse fissures varying in type according to the species and often fissured, exfoliation of the outer bark varying in colour,from pale-yellowish brown to deep reddish brown,fracture short in the external layers and fibrous in the inner layers.
Macroscopical: The diagnostic characters are thin walled cork cells; numerous, isolated, yellowish spindle-shaped, striated, phloem fibres up to 90m in diameter with conspicuous-somewhat funnel-shaped pits; small number of starch grains about 6 to 10 in diameter from the parenchyma; parenchymatous idoblasts filled with microcrystals of calcium oxalate; very rare stone cells. The most important alkaloid is quinine.
Part Used: Bark
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Cinchona officinalis in moderately coarse power 100 g Purified Water 200 ml Strong Alcohol. 824 m.
To make one thousand Millitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and high with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dis- pensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV (tincture)
Constituents and Action.
Quinine is the principal alkaloid. It exhibits a good example of how the primary and the secondary effects of a drug may be utilized, on opposite principles for therapeutic purpose.
It is primarily a stimulant of protoplasm in general and secondarily exhausts and paralyses it.
Pyrexial effects of quinine are usually unaccompanied by inflammation on any particular structure, region.
It causes jaundice and haemoglobinuria.
It has a marked action on the blood cells, muscle tissue, circularity system and metabolism.
Standard for finished product.
Cinchona officinalis :Mother tincture.
Alcohol Content :75 to 79 Percent v/v
pH :between 4.9 to 5.4
Sp. gr. :From ).878 to 0.880.
Total Solids :Not less than 0.80 Percent w/v
/\ Max :280-332 nm.
Identification: Carry out TLC Mother tincture using methanol ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase with Dragandroff's Reagent. Five spots appear at Rf 2.32,0.63, 0.74,0.82 and 0.87: spots at 0.63 corresponds to Cinchonine and at 0.82 corresponds with quinine.
TLC mother tincture spotted on SLG plates.
Solvent System: Benzene Ethylaccetate diethylamine 7:2:1 v/v" Rf.10.52, 0.66, 0.91 and 0.99 Spraying reagent= Dragandorff's reagent.
CINA (Cina)
Bot. Name Artemisia maritime Linn. Family: Compositae.
Description: An ever-green perennial shrub with many slender, erect flowering stems up to one meter higher, much slender, erect flowering stems up to one meter high, much branched. Flower heads about 21-3 cm, long oblong ovoid sessile, pale brownish-green colour, odourous with bitter taste.
Distribution: In temperate region, western Himalayas.
Part Used: Flower heads.
Macroscopical: The flower heads are of a greenish, yellowish colour but turn brown by drying and keeping. They are from 1.5 to 4 mm long elongated ovoid in shape and somewhat angular, their surface is shining and only slightly hairy.
A few fragments of leaves and stalks always occur admixed with the flower heads. the involucre consists of fourteen to twenty, most commonly sixteen, imbricated ovate or lanceolate bracts, each having a distinct keel and bearing on the dorsal surface, numerous glistening compositous glandular trichomes and very few cottony balande hair; the mid-rib branches freely and the vein- lets are contorted and frequently anastomose. The bracts enclose about 3 to 5 tubular hermaphrodite florets about 1 mm long and 0.5 wide,the apices of the five corolla lobes being slightly papillose but not bearing trichomes; compositous glandular,trichomes occur on the outer surface of the corolla and ovary. The pollen grains are spherical, about 20-25 in diameter with 3 germinal furrows and pores; the surface of the exine finely granular, but has no spines.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Cina in moderately, coarse powder Strong Alcohol in 100 g.
Sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV.
Constituents and Action:
Santonin (C16H18O3) A neutral principle derived from unexpanded flower heads. When fresh the crystals are colourless but turn yellow on exposure to sunlight.
Santonin is absorbed to some extend from the stomach, and thereby causing constitutional symptoms.
It has a very peculiar effect and that the influence on colour vision. Object appear yellow. This is said to be because of action of Santonin in retina, that prevents the regeneration of the substance in retina which prevents the violent rays.
It causes twitching of muscles, rolling of eyes and grinding of teeth. Regular epileptiform Seizures may also occur. Respiration is embarrassed during convulsions.
Standard for Finished Product:
Cina : Mother tincture
pH : Between 5.30 to 6.30
Sp.gr. : From 0.825 to 0.840
Total Solids : Not less than 0.6 Percent W/v
/\ max. : 334 nm.
Identification : Colour Test: To 1 ml of mother tincture add to drop of alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution.
A red colour is produced. to 2 ml of.
tincture add a drop of ethanolic hydroxy amine solution followed by a few drops of Alcoholic ferric chloride solution.
A blue-green colour is produced.
Carry out TLC of chloroform extract of the mother tincture using chloroform methanol 9.1 v/v as mobile phase under Uv light four spots appear at Rf 0.33, 0.44, 0.51 and 0.83 (This corresponds with Santonin)
COCCULUS INDICUS (Coc.ind)
Bot. Name:Anamirta cocculus W&A Family: Menispermaceae
History: The name is derived from `Cocenin' meaning a kermes berry. These berries have been used to prevent secondary fermentation of liquors and also by brewers to impart intoxicating properties to beer. It was introduced by Hahnemann 1805.
Description: A larger woody climber with corky bark, Leaves 10- 12 cm long broadly ovate, acute, or obtuse, rounded or subcordate at the base thinly coriaceous, above, paler and with small tufts of hair in the axils of the veins beneath; petioles thickened and prehensile at the lower ends. Flowers 6 mm in diameter, pale greenish-yellow, sweet scented. Sepals imbricate, ultimately reflexed. ripe fruits are known as Cocculus indicus.
Distribution: India (Malabar, Assam), Bangladesh Ceylon, Burma, Malaya and East Indian Islands.
Part used: Seeds.
Macroscopical: Drupe dusky,reddish brown to moderate brown reniform and wrinkled 8 to 12.5 mm in length and 7 or 11 mm in breadth and 7 to 10 mm in thickness, the base marked by a circular stems scar pericarp touch, about 1 mm in diameter,enclosing a single seed, seed yellowish grey, urn- shaped.
Microscopical:Pericarp consists of epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp Epicarp of a layer of more or less cubical shaped cells, Mesocarp consists of an outer region of thin, walled cells with brown glandular contents which become reddish brown with a solution of potassium hydroxide, a zone of elongated brownish red cells in which occur coarse fibro-vascular bundles;several rows of yellowish cells. (Endocarp consists of strongly Unified porous sclerenchyma fibres). Endosperm is composed of polygonal cells with thin walls containing aleurone and fixed oil and acicular crystals insoluble in KOH solution,alcohol or water soluble in HCL.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/100 Cocculus Indicus in coarse powder 100 g Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV
Cocculus indicus contains a crystalline principle, Picrotoxin C15 H16 O6H2O which is a powerful poison. It resemble inaction to Cicutoxin.
It acts on motor nerves,affects first the voluntary muscular system causing tetanic contractions paralysis and thus the sensation causing vertigo and confusion. It causes respiratory disorder through its action of medulla oblongata and nervous system.
A prover of picrotoxin experienced nausea and tendency to faint. Violent intestinal pain,dysentery, diarrhoea, and excessive secretion of urine, and with a sensation that the bowels would protrude out of left inguinal ring.
COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE (Colch. at.)
Bot.Name:Colchicum autumnale Linn. Family: Liliaceae
History:The name colchicum is derived from "Colchis", an ancient province in Asia minor, east to the Black Seam, where the poisonous plant grew and flourished.
"Autumnale" is the season in which it f;lowers. the plant is now cultivated in England. Dioscoroids mentioned this remedy. the Arabs recommended its use in gout but soon abandoned it because of its high toxicity. Dr. Stapf introduced it to Homoeopathy in 1929.
Description: An annual herb; underground stem (corm) tunicate; leaves few, appearing usually in spring lanceolate 25 cm or less long and 5 c,m. or less wide. Flowers 1.4 or 6, 7-10 cm. across when expanded,appearing in autumn, with slender tubes several inches long, that elevates the purple oblong obtuse veined segments above the group segments 2.5 to 7 cm. long,stamens 6, less than half as long as segments; capsule 2.5 3e.7. arising with foliage in spring.
Macroscopical:" corm in slices up to 2 to 5 mm. thick and subreniform to ovate in outlines with yellowish edges; a few pieces are sub-conical or planoconvex-the slices are hard and break readily with a short mealy fracture; the cut surfaces are white and starchy and show vascular strands as small grayish points.
Microscopical: The diagnostic characters are: the brown epidermal cells with indistinctly pitted, slightly wavy walls; the abundant large-celled parenchyma containing numerous starch trains,usually compound, with 2 to 4 upto 7 components but sometimes single, individual grains being spherical or ovoid to polyhaderal or muller-shaped 3 to 10 microns in diameter with a triangular or stellate, central hylem; the occasional vessels, with spiral or annular thickening, the absence of sclerenchyma and calcium oxalate crystals.
Distribution: Cultivated in India,also found in Europe.
Part Used: Bulbs, moisture content of fresh bulb 233 ml. per 100g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Colchicum Autumnale,moist magma containing solids 100 g plant moisture 233 ml.
Purified Water 267 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, 3 parts purified water and 6 parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Standard for finished products: (HPI)
Colchicum aut. : Mother tincture
Alcohol content: 47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.7 to 7.2
Sp.gr. : From 0.920 to 0.932
Total solids : Not less than 0.6 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 224 and 326 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test:Dilute 10m.. tincture or 1x to 3x potency with 10 ml. water. Add 2 drops of sodium hydroxide to it. Extract with 10 ml. of chloroform. Separate the chloroform layer and evaporate to dryness on water bath. Add a few drops of sulphuric acid and few crystals of potassium nitrite. Blue streaks are formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using methanol-ammonia (100:1.5 v/v) as mobile phase with Dragan- dorff's reagent. One spot appears at Rf 0.86 (corresponds with colchi cine.
COLOCYNTHIS (COLOC.)
Bot.Name: Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Sch. Family:Cucurbitaceae
Description: An annual, deciduous climber with large, long woody and branched roots, from which arise several slender rough annular, pale green above,ashy beneath,deltoid, 3.7 lobed,tough stems, with alternate, petiolate leaves, variable in size. Flowers yellow,large solitary axillary, monoecious, pedunculate. Fruit; pepo or gourd, the size and shape of an orange from 6-10 cm, in diameter,yellow with a thin, solid, smooth rind,containing spongy very bitter pulp. Seeds 4.6 mm. long, pale. brown.
Macroscopical: The dried pulp occurs in white or pale, yellowish white,light, pithy fragments. Very few seeds escape removal. They are about 7 mm long and flattened escape in shape, the testa is yellowish white to dark brown, ovoid in shape. The testa is yellowish white to dark brown, smooth externally,and extremely hard, the seed is exalbuminous, and the embryo contains a large amount of fixed oil, the rind is I mm. thick externally, buff coloured glabrous and granular,the inner surface whitish,and marked by impressions of the seeds.
Microscopical:The diagnostic characters are: the large,thin- walled parenchymatous cells separated by inter-cellular spaces and showing flat,rounded, pitted areas where they are in contact with the occasional spiral and annular vessels; the absence f starch grains, crystal of calcium proportions as corresponded to an amount of seed not exceeding 5 Percent and to an amount of outer sclerenchymatous part of the pericarp, not exceeding 2 Percent
Habitat:Grows in warm and dry situations in India, Ceylon, Arabia,North Africa, Cape of Good Hope and Japan.
Parts used: Pulp of the fruit rejecting the seeds.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Colocynthis in coarse powder 100g Purified Water 500ml.
Strong Alcohol 537ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: ex to contain one part tincture, 3 parts Purified Water and six parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV.
Constituents and Action:
Seeds contains a fixed oil,a phytosteroid and two phytosteroid hydrocarbons, a saponin, a glucoside and a tannin. Pulp contains L-elaterin, fruit contains a phytosteroid and a mixture of fatty acids. Fruit and seeds are purgative.
Fresh root is an antidote to snake poison. Colocynthin and colocynthetien are two important alkaloids.
In case of poisoning it causes acute inflammation of gastro- intestinal tract resulting into colic,vomiting. It causes the peristaltic action of the intestine.
It also acts through other nerves than through the solar plexus- inguinal, lumbar and cranial-causing inflammation.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Colocynthis :Mother tincture Alcohol content :47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5.4 to 6.2
Sp.gr. :From 0.910 to 0.950
Total solids :Not less than 1.20 Percent z/v.
/\ max. :225 nm and 310 nm.
Identification : a) Colour reaction: Evaporate 1 m..
tincture on a water bath. Add I drop of sulphuric acid to the residue. Orange to yellowish red colour is produced.
b) Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform-methanol (9.1 v/v) as a mobile phase. Under uv light four four spots appear at Rf 0.13, 0.52. 0.63. 0.83 (all blue).
CONIUM MACULATUM (Con.mac.)
Bot.Name: Conium Maculatum Linn Family Umbelliferae
History:The name `conium' means "to around" and is so named because it produces giddiness when taken. Maculatum is French. Macula-spot. Latus Maculatis spotted. the stem has brownish pimple spots. It was known in 4th and 5th century B.C., Hahnemann introduced this to Homoeopathic practice 1835.
Description: a poisonous much branched herb, 3o to 60 cms. in height, with stem speckled reddish purple, leaves pinnately compound with segments pinnatifid and toothed. Flowers white in compound, many rayed, umbels with few bracts and bracticles carpels ribbed. Fruit broadly ovate, laterally compressed and at the commenissures more or less constricted,somewhat tuberculate.
Microscopical:The diagnostic characters are epidermal cells with striated cuticle, wavy anticlinal walls and containing yellow dendritic crystals of diosmin, the cells as the margin in about 3 longitudinal rows in both upper and lower surface,stomata ranunculaceous, are on upper surface and numerous on lower surface,water pores on upper surface to tip of teeth; single layer of palisade tissue,petiole, approximately oval in transverse section with about 9 shallow, external, collenchymatous rigid's, a single forming a circle of bundles around the central cavity; solitary secretory canal adjoining each phloem group and additional but similar canals flanking the xylem of each bundle in the petiole; reaches with structure similar to that of people, but with fewer angles and a shallow medium groove on the upper surface; absence of trachomas,calcium oxalate and sclerids from the lamina.
Distribution:Temperate regions of Asia, Europe and North Africa.
Part Used: The whole plant. Moisture content of fresh plant 200 ml per 100 g. solids.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Conium Maculatum in coarse powder 100 8 Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong alcohol 637 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) potencies:2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol,3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class I.
Constituents and action:
It contains 0.5 to 1.5 Percent conine conhydrine, pseudo conhydrine methyl conine,ethyl priperydine, conic acid and volatile fixed oil.
It is the first vegetable alkaloid that was successfully formed by synthesis in the laboratory. Hahnemann says that "primary action of conium is one of rigidity-Condensation and constriction of fibres with swelling for the glands and diminution." Taste says hat its action is primarily inflammatory.
The alkaloid conine causes nausea and vomiting at an early state with profuse salivation and perspiration and at the same time there are twitchings and trainers accompanied by stiffness and rigidity of some of the limbs, this is followed by great weakness and finally paralysis.
Standard from finished product: (HPI)
Conium mac : Mother tincture.
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 v/v
pH : Between 5.4 to 6.2
Specific gr. : 0.890 to 0.920
Total solids : Not less than 0.54 Percent w/w
/\ max : 265 nm.
Identification : Colour Reaction:
1.The mother tincture luminisces under analytical lamp-intense dark blue even with 2x or 3x potency. Addition of caustic soda changes to sea green colour.
2.Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol-acetic acid, water 4:1:12 v/v as mobile phase. Under Uv light four spots appear at 0.03, 0.68, 0.82 and 0.94. Carry out TLC of chloroform methanol extract 9:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light six spots appear at Rf:0.33, 0.49, 0.68, 0.85, and 0.94. All are blue.
CUPRUM METALLICUM (Cup.,met.)
Chemical Symbol:cu At.wt.63.54.
Description:A reddish lustrous, malleable and ductile metal. It may be in the form of a very fine powder, becomes gradually coated with a green basic carbonate when gradually exposed to air. Next to silver,it is the best conductor of electricity. Its specific gravity is 8.9. It melts at 1083*C. t is very slowly attacked by hydrochloric or dilute sulfuric acid but is readily7 dissolved by dilute nitric acid. It slowly dissolves in ammonia water. It is found in nature in elementary state and is commercially obtained from its minerals. Contains not less than 99.5per cent of copper.
Identification: i) An addition of excess of ammonia to a solution in hydrochloric acid produces ultimately a deep blue solution.
ii) When a solution in hydrochloric acid is treated with a solution of potassium ferrocyanide, a reddish brown precipitate is formed.
Assay: Dissolve about 0.25 g. accurately weighted in sufficient quantity of hot concentrated sulphuric acid and dilute to 50 m.. with purified water, add 3 g. of potassium iodide and 5 m.. acetic acid and titrate the liberated iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate, using solution of starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate is equivalent to 0.006354 g of Cu.,
Preparation: (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 (a) Cuprum metallicum in fine powder 100 g Saccharum lactis` 900 g To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies; 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x,may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains copper. the soluble salts of copper precipitate proteins from the solution and therefore astringent when applied to mucous membranes and raw surfaces,they have a harsh stringent metallic taste.
It affects the walls of he intestine and stomach. Cases violent vomiting and purging collapse and clammy perspiration,headache,giddiness and unconsciousness.
Standard for Finished product:HPI
Cuprum : Triturate Metallicum Potency : Ix Light reddish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent. w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent of Cu.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Cuprum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light reddish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent-w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Cu.
Assay : Complies with the essay method given under cuprum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w per cent w/w of Cu.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g.,char in silica crucible to make it ash. Dissolve the ash in insufficient.....follow the method given under Cuprum Metallicum. For titration use 0.01 N sodium thiosulphate. each ml of 0l.01 N sodium thiosulphate solution is equivalent to 0.00064 g of Cu.
Colour test.
Dissolve about 0.55 mother substance in about 10ml of Nitric acid dilute it with water,and use the solution for the test.
Add sodium hydroxide to 1ml solution till alkaline. It gives a blue liquid (Copper) thereby no put recovers.
Add a few drops of sol. to 3 ml. solution, no turbidity occurs.
DIGITALIS PURPUREA (Dig.pur)
Bot.Name: Digitalis Purpurea Linn. Family:Scrophylariaceae.
Description: A biennial, sometimes perennial herb, upon 21 meters height. It bears during the first year, a rosette of redical rugose, somewhat downy leaven 15-30 cms long, ovate to obovate-lanceolate with long winged petioles. From the centre of type leaf resette arises in the second year, a single erect flowering axis with sessile and subsessile leaves terminating in a one sided raceme., Flowers 5.8 cms long, declined,tubular,campanulate, purple, yellow or white; seed small and light.
Microscopical: leaf, bearing in the apex of each marginal tooth one large waterpore,rarely 2 epidermal cells, polygonal, about 30-60 long with smooth cuticle, anticlinal walls slightly wavy on the upper surface, markedly wavy on the lower surface. Covering trichomes, usually 3 to 5 cells long, uniseriate,bluntly pointed and finely warty, sometimes with collapsed cells, glandular trichomes having a unicellular or uniseriate stalk and unicellular or bicellular head. Stomata, of the ranunculaceous type, more numerous on the lower than on the upper surface. Midrib, strong convex below, covered with simple and glandular trichomes containing an arc on radiate xylem; a narrow phloem and a collenchymatous pericycle; Mesophyll with a palisade in one layer occasionally in 2 or d. Some times not differentiated,spongy mesophyll or stellate cell.
Distribution: Cultivated in India, Southern and Central Europe, England Norway, Madeira,and the Azores.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Digitalis purpurea in moderately coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 466 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and give parts STrong Alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing.
Constituents and Action:
Leaves contain several glycosides of which important are digoxin, digitoxin and digtalin. Digestion is the most potent of test glycosides.
Tannic, inisitol, luteoline present a new cardiotonic glycocide.
Digiconin is isolated from leaves.
The general action of digitalis is shown by its influence on the CNS, and the heart.
Its action on CNS is stimulant in the centre of the medulla oblongata. Vomiting,and the Respiratory centers and the nucleus of the vagus; there result in vomiting quickening and slowing of the heart beat.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Digitalis :Mother tincture Purpurea
Alcohol. content :41.0 to 45.0 Percentv/v
pH :Between 5.50 to 6.50
Sp.gr. :From 0.930 to 0.950
Total Solids :Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v
/\ max :270 nm.
Identification :Carry out TLC of concentrated Mother tincture using n-Butanol; Acetic Acid: water (4;1;1 v/v) as mobile phase under uv light and with Antimony trichloride solution four spots at Rf 0.31,0.62,0.75 and 0.87 appear.
Carry out CO-TLC of mother tincture, digitonin using n.Butanol-Acetic acid and water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase and antimony trichloride for spray. Spot corresponding to digitonin appears.
DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA (Dros.rot)
Bot.Name: Drosera Rotundifolia Linn. Family: Droseraceae
History:The name `drosera' is derived from the Greek word "drosera", meaning "dewy". It was introduced in Homoeopathy in 18905 by Hahnemann.
Description: A glandular pubescent herb with tufted basal leaves,clothed with glandular sensitive hair which secrete gelatinous fluid that entraps insects. Leaves spreading on the ground: the blades orbicular or nearly so, 6-12 mm broad abruptly narrowed to a flat petiole, the upper surface clothed with glandular hair. Scape glaborous 1-25 flowers;pedicles 2-4 mm long. Flowers shining in sun 4 mm broad; pentamerous; petals white or reddish, oblong. Capsule scarcely exceeding the sepals,Seeds spindle-shaped, the testa loose.
Distribution : Europe, North America and Asia.
Part Used: Whole Plant.
Preparation: a)Mother tincture Drug stretch 1/10
Drosera rotundifolia in Coarse powder 100g Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture
b)Potencies: 2x to contain on part tincture four parts purified water
Old Method: Class I
Constituents and Action:
It contains magic and citric acids,. rennin and tannin. It acts on the pneumogastric nerve causing spasm of the respiratory muscles, causing cough, simulating whooping cough When administered to cats who are least susceptible to tuberculosis it produced tubercle beneath the pleura; the submaxillary glands are enlarged and peyer's patches get hypertrophied,the mesenteric slants get enlarged,indicating the resemblance to the products of tuberculosis.
Standard fir Finished Product: (HPI)
Drosera :Mother tincture.
rotundifolia
Alcohol content : 57,.0 to 61.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 4.7p to 5.80
Sp.gr. :From 0.890 to o.920
Total Solids : Not less than. 50 Percent W/v
/\ max. :255 and 280 nM
Identification: : Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using Chloroform methanol 9: 1 v/v as mobile phase. It gives six Spots in Uv light as RF 0.24, 0.510.60.,0.64, 0.86 and o.91 (All blue).
DULCAMARA
Bot.Name:Solanum dulcamara Linn. Family:Solanaceae.
History: The "Dulcamara" is taken from "Dulcis" meaning sweet,and `Amarus; meaning `bitter'since the taste is first sweet and then bitter, it was introduced in homoeopathy by Hahnemann in 1811.
Description": A deciduous climbing shrub with a woody, irregularly branched; creeping yellowish green root,swelling like potato,stem woody at base, pubescent above, alternately branched; Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire, alternately branched,Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire the lower ones cordate, the upper hastate or with two ear-like lobes at the base, pubescent beneath. Flowers purple, small lateral, extra axilliary, drooping cymus. berries scarlet, oval and poisonous.
Distribution: In Europe, Asia and North America.
Part Used: Whole plant. Plants growing where the rootlets run into water are preferable.
Macroscopical: In short cylindrical, obliquely or transversely cut pieces from 3 to 10 mm in length and 4-7 mm in diameter outer surface longitudinally striated, more or less warty and occasionally with leaf scars, cut surface exhibiting a thin brownish to greenish brown, dark a broad greenish brown or greenish yellow wood usually showing I or 2 concentric rays and central hollow with area.
Microscopical (powder): Light yellowish brown trachieds up to 112u in diameter and with bordered pores and spiral markings, lignified woody fibers with a few pores; non-lignified bast fibres with wall up to 20u thickness fragments of cork cells, few simple unicellular hair up to 800u in length,few starch grains spheroidal, spheroidal microcrystals.
Preparation:a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/100 Dulcamara in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 350 ml Strong Alcohol 685 ml To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies:2x to contain one part tincture,four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol ex and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old method: Class I
Constituent and Action:
Dulcamara belongs to Solanacea family, to which, Belladonna, Stramonium and Hyoscyamus Capsicum belong. It contains an alkaloid called Solanin to which it owes may of its properties. Solanin depresses and paralyses the vagus-slowing the respiration cause dyspnoea, acceleration of the heart, tachycardia but feeble and thready pulse. The pulmonary tissues get filled with serous exudates and isolated patches of lung become emphysematous. It also produces catarrh in the stomach, intestines, nose,eyes and ears.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Dulcamara = Mother Tincture.
pH = 62 to 66.0 Percent v/v
Sp.Gr. = O.880 to 0.910
Total Solids = Not less than 0.70 Percent w/v
/\ max = 270 and 310 nm
Identification = Carry out TLC of Chloroform Extract using Chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Antimony trichloride Spray reagent one spot appear at Rf.0.84
GLONOINUM (Glon)
Chemical Formula-C3H5N3O9 Molt. Wt.227.07
Description: A colourless, odourless liquid with a sweet burning taste. Almost insoluble in water, readily soluble on alcohol, explodes on concession or rapid heating. Begins to nitrous yellow vapours at 135* and explodes at 218 degree . Prepared by nitrating glycerin with a mixture of nitric acid and sulphuric acid,called nitration acid. Contains not less than 81 percent and not more than 121.0 percent of the labelled amount of glyceryl trinitrate.
Assay: Mix an accurately weighted quantity of the substance equivalent to about 1 mg of glycerol trinitrate with 5 ml of glacial acetic acid,shake continuously for one hour and filter. Mix 1 ml of the filtrate with 2 ml phenol disulphonic acid, stir well, and allow to stand for fifteen minutes. Add about 8ml of water, make alkaline with strong solution of ammonia, cool to about 20*, dilute to 20ml. with water and filter, if necessary. Compare, under similar conditions in a suitable colorimeter, the colour of this solution with the colours of solution containing known quantities of potassium nitrate which have been treated in the same manner. Each g of potassium nitrate is equivalent to 0.7487 g of C3H5(N3O9).
Storage; Keep a well closed container, protected from light and store in cool place.
Preparation Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Glonoinum 100g Strong Alcohol in Sufficient quantity, To make one thousand milliliters of the Mother.
Tincture.
Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituent and Action:
Nitroglycerine is not decomposed in the stomach but is absorbed unchanged with blood, where it is rapidly broken into glycerin and mixture of nitrates and nitrates by the alkalis of the blood. A small quantity in found in urine unaltered.
NO2 radicle is responsible for the physiological action of nitroglycerine. It causes intense headache depresses unstripped muscular fibres specially of blood vessels causing them top dilate with the fall of blood pressure. Heartbeats are accelerated,the pulse becomes quick jerking. Respiration is increased in frequency. With large does it causes consciousness loss, convulsion occur from disturbance of cerebral circulation. A fraction of a drop of Nitroglycerin is sufficient to cause the symptoms.
History: It is a black lead, an allotropic modification of carbon. The trituration of prepared black lead is from the finest English drawing pencils.
Description:A blackish grey, soft, unctuous, lustrous solid composed of hexagonal crystalline scales, odourless less, it's specific gravity is 2.00 2.5 and it is a good conductor of electricity. Next to diamond it is the purest of mineral carbon, and occurs in nature.
Loss on heating: Not more than 1.25 per cent w/w.
Water Soluble Matter: Not more than 1.25.
Determination of Ash: Weigh accurately about 2 g. of the material in a tarred platinum dish and incinerate till the residue in the crucible is constant in weight. Cool in a bisector and weigh. Ash by weight shall not be more than 5.0 per cent.
Preparation: (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Graphites in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated;6x may be con verted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a pure substance and contains 0.4 to 0.6 Percent of iron.
It acts chiefly on the skin, mucous membrane and nervous system. the large secreting and excreting organs are not directly influenced by it.
Graphites in crude state is insoluble and heart but when triturated and raised to the higher potencies, become and important antipsoric and valuable remedy in many chronic diseases.
Chemical Symbol:CaS:
History: It was introduced by Hahnemann in 1794 and was given internally to remove the bad effects of excess of mercury.
Description:A white, porous, friable mass or a white amorphous powder, odour and taste of sulphuretted hydrogen. It is insoluble in cold water or strong alcohol,soluble in hot hydrochloric acid with evolution of hydrogen sulphide. It is prepared according to Hahnemann's directions; mix equal a weight of clean and finely powdered oyster shells and well-mashed flower of sulphur, placing them in a hermetically closed clay crucible, and keeping mixture at a white heat for at least ten minutes. The product is to be cooled and pulverized.
Identification: It responds to all the reactions characteristic of calcium and of sulphides.
Storage: Preserve in well-closed glass-stoppered bottles and protect from light.
Preparation: (a)Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Hepar Sulphur in coarse white amorphous powder Saccharum Lactis to make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b)Potencies:2x AND HIGHER TO be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is an impure form of sulphide of calcium. The action is due to both components; calcium has inflammatory influence over the respiratory, glandular system, whereas the sulphur component has on the skin and alimentary tract and tissue. Both the elements affect the connective tissue.
HYOSCYAMUS NIGER (Hyos. nig.)
Bot.Name:Hyoscyamus Niger Linn. Family:Solanaceae
Description: A coarse herb clothed with viscid hair, annual or usually biennial, up to 0.5 ,meter,with fusiform roots, leaves oblong, five to eight cm. long, irregularly sinute toothed or pinnatified, the lower petiolate the other more or less clasping,and simple, one-sided;terminal spikes corolla greenish- yellow,purple -veined capsule about 2.25 cm long, enclosed in the enlarging calyx. The seeds are more or less odourless and are slightly bitter to taste. They contain an amber-coloured oil.
Microscopical: Leaf:Trichomes numerous, particularly above and below main veins and glands,each with uniseriate stalk of 2 to 6 cells and up to 500u long, and a large oval multi-cellular head. Epidermis consisting of cells, with sinuous anticlinal walls and smooth cuticle. Stomata, about 125 per sq. mm. in the adaxial epidermis, more frequent in palisade cells. Single or twined prismatic crystals about 5 to 20u long or a cluster of few components in each of a number of collecting cells, forming a crystal layer, crystals present in occasional idioblasts adjoining the veins. Midrib, with the adaxial epidermis often separated.
contain an arc of several bicollateral vascular bundles and no collenchyma except as a bundle sheath. Stem with trichomes and in the leaf;cortical collenchyma upto 10 cells thick, an endodermis containing starch, small phloem without fibers with linear pits and annular. Spiral or reticulate vessels, internal phloem in a network showing as isolated strands in transverse section. Calyx with trichomes and stomata as in leaf. Corolla with trichomes on the outer epidermis especially on the lower veins, inner epidermis glaborous; veins with spiral trachieds and cells containing bluish anthocyanin. Anthers with conspicuous thickened bands in the endothecium.
Distribution: In India, found from Kashmir to Garhwal in the Himalayas, Europe and America.
Parts Used: Whole plant of second year's growth. Moisture content of fresh plant 450 ml.per 100 g. solids.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Hyoscyamus Niger in moderately coarse powder Purified Water Strong Alcohol To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies 2x to contain one part of tincture, four parts of purified water, five parts strong alcohol;3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method:Class I.
Constituents and Action Hyoscyamine is its chief alkaloid.
Hyoscyamus and its alkaloids correspond closely both botanically and chemically to Belladonna. Functionally its action is much pronounced and its range is much more restricted than that of Belladonna. For the mechanics of its action reference may be made to that drug (Belladonna).
Standard for Finished product : (HPI)
Hyoscyamus Niger:Mother tincture
Alcohol content :52.0 56.0 Percent v/v.
Specific gr. :From 0.93 to 0.945
pH :Between 6.0 to 6.8
Total solids :Not less than 1.0 Percent w/w
/\ max :260 nm.
Identification : 1.Colour Test:Mix 10 ml. of mother tincture with 10ml. of distilled water and 1ml. of concentrated ammonia solution and precipitated with 20ml.
ether. Dry the ether phase on sodium and filter, evaporate the ether and rinse with 0.5 ml. fuming nitric acid again evaporate to dryness and add 10ml. acetone and a few drops of 3 Percent ethanolic solution of potassium hydroxide-violent colour appears.
2.Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using acetone:water:ammonia 90:7:3 w/v as mobile phase and Dragan dorff's reagent as spray reagent.
The spots (orange red) correspond with standard atropine and scopalamine.
HYPERICUM PERFORATUM (Hyper)
Bot.Name:HYPERICUM perforatum Linn.
Family:Hypericaceae
History: The name "hypericum' is derived from `hyper' meaning above and "elcon' meaning `image' because the superior part of the flower represents a figure. It was introduced in Homoeopathic practice by Dr. Mueller in 1837.
Description: A perennial herb with woody branches, dark brown root;Stem 30cm or more in height, much branched, producing runners from the base, somewhat two edged and smooth; Leaves opposite, entire, oblong, punctate, with numerous scattered pellucid dots;flowers deep yellow in terminal, open, leafy cymes. The herb has a characteristic balsamic odour and a bitter resinous somewhat astringent taste.
Distribution: India (Himalayan region), Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America.
Part Used: Whole plant.
Preparation: (1) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Hypericum perforatum in moderately course powder 100g Purified Water 250ml.
Strong Alcohol 780 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture.
(2) Potencies:2x to contain one part tincture two parts purified water, seven parts strong alcohol; ex and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class III
Constituent and Action:
It contains 0.5 Percent or 7 Percent glucoside Hyperine.
Hypericum acts on the cerebro-spinal nervous system causing hyperaemia resulting into highly irritated and sensitive condition of parts freely supplied with nerves.
It probably acts on the nerve sheaths and the meninges and causes stitching and tearing pains along the course of the nerves. The provers show that by the pain experienced in the back,chest and limbs.
Standard for Finished product: (HPI)
Hypericum :71.0 to 75.0 Percent v/v Perforatum
pH :Between 4.4 to 6.0
Sp.gr. :From 0.875 to 0.885
Total solids :Not less than 0.6
/\ max :275 nm
Identification :(a) Colour test: To I ml Mother tincture add a few drops of ferric chloride solution a blackish green precipitate forms.
Add 2ml of the mother tincture to 2ml distilled water and 2ml ether. Shake and observe under Uv light a Bright red fluorescence in ether layer is observed. On adding concentrated Sulphuric Acid, yellow green fluorescence appears.
(B)Carry out TLC of Mother tincture using chloroform methanol (80:20) v/v) a mobile phase. In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf= 0.61 and 0.894.
IGNATIA AMARA (Ign)
Bot.Name:Strychnos ignatia Berg. Family: :Loganiaceae
Description: A small tree,stem erect., branches opposite, glaborous, leaves petiolate,ovate, opposite, acute, 12.5-18 cm long. Flowers pear shaped numerous, white, long, in small axillary panicles having the odour of jasmine. Fruit pear shaped having seeds 20-24 in number,m embedded in a bitter pulp. Seeds having a shape like almond but irregular, apparently from compression white soft, blackish gray or clear brown in colour with a brownish horny, translucent shell, very hard and difficult to split, appearing glaborous, but having fine down odorless with a lasting bitter taste
Distribution: Found in Philippine islands and in China.
Part used: the bean
Macroscopical: Beans are heavy, hard, angularly ovate with obtuse angles,from 20to 30 mm in length and about 15 mm in breadth and thickness, externally greyish or reddish black nearly smooth with few or no hair,fracture granular and translucid in small fragments, a small irregular cavity in the centre.
Microscopical"Greyish brown, exhibiting thin cells of the epidemics and the subjacent layer of the seed cost, polygonal cells with thickened pitted walls, hair characteristic, spreading and thickened at the base and heavy liner marking endosperm tissue, the outer cells small;contents granular, the inner larger,with thickened walls, lumen irregular in size and shape.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ignatia amara in fine power 100 g.
Purified Water 150ml.
Strong Alcohol. 870 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration:1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
St.Ignatius bean contains a smaller quantity of strychnine Nux vomica. It also contains brucin. The action of ignatia is best seen in sensitive, excitable subjects of mild temperament.
It acts specially on the medulla oblongata and the spinal nervous system,giving rise to titanic convulsions and dyspnoea. This may end in death.
The entire nervous system gets morbidly affected, making the system sensitive,so that there is intense acuteness of sensation and of special senses. It increases the susceptibility to external impressions-mental and physical.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Ignatia amara :Mother tincture.
Alcohol content :77.0 to 81.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5.4 to 6.0
Sp.gr. :From 0.850 to 0.905
Total Solids :Not less than 0.80 Percent w/v
umax :244 and 310 (b) nm.
Identification :Carryout TLC Chloroform extract, using Chloroform methanol (9.1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light four spots appear at Rf.0.06, 0.41, 0.76, and 0.90; with antimony trichloride reagent two spots appear at Rf.0.90 (Pink); and 0.96 (Brown).
IPECACUANHA (Ipecac.)
Bot. Name:Caphaelia ipecacuanha (Brot) a Rich; Family:Rubiaceae.
History: Ipecacuanha is a Portuguese term.
Its Brazilian Indian term is Ipeka-guene-meaning `Creeping plant' causing vomiting. Plant was described in 1648. But the source was not in own until 1600. Hahnemann introduced it in 1805.
Description: A half shrubby perennial plant. Stem up to I meter long, partly underground, smooth grey at base, pubescent and green above. Leaves opposite, petiolate, obovate, acute, entire, blackish-green,somewhat rough above, pale downy and veined beneath, 7-10 cm. long 2.5-5 cm. broad with large stipules. Flowers small, white sessile, in dense head on axillary, but apparently terminal peduncles, surrounded by an involucre of four bracts.
Distribution:Cultivated in India, Brazil and South America.
Macroscopical:Root, somewhat tortuous pieces,seldom more than 15 cm long, 0.6 mm thick; from dark brick-red to very dark brown;closely annulated external ridges rounded and completely encircling the root;fracture,short in the bark and splintery in the wood, the smoothed transverse surface showing a wide grayish bark and a small uniformly dense wood. Rhizomes short length attacked to roots, cylindrical, upto 1 mm in diameter,finally wrinkled longitudinally and with pith approximately one sixth of the whole diameter.
Microscopical:Root;l bark consisting of a thin thin brown cork layer, a wide parenchyma containing much starch with many compound grains of 2 to 8 components and some simple grains, individual grains rarely more than 15 in diameter, also wedges projecting into the parenchyma; xylem consisting mainly of trachieds with linear pits and small vessels frequently with round lateral perforations, and dignified secondary medullary rays containing starch grains.
Rhizome: Vascular tissue peripheral;pericycle with thick walled pitted sclereids;protoxylem with spiral vessels. Xylem with fibres having linear slits, medulla with isodiametric lignified cells with rather thin walls.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ipecacuanha in fine powder 100g Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 834 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Emetine is the active alkaloid.
It has a specific influence on the digestive tract causing vomiting and diarrhoea. It increases secretion of blue.
Locally it produces dermatitis going on to pustulations. It is an uncertain anti-septic,destroying, for example, anthrax bacilli but not its spores.
Standard for Finished Products:HPI
Ipecacuanha :Mother tincture
Alcohol content :72.0 to 76.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 3.5 to 5.5
Sp.gr. :From 0.860 to 0.880
Total solids :Not less than 0.87 Percent w/v
umax :275 nm.
Identification : (a)Colour Test To 1ml of Mother tincture add few drops of Mayer's Reagent.
a white turbidity appears.
To 1 ml of mother tincture add few drops of sodium hydroxide or ammonia solution turning reddish brown.
(b) Carryout TLC of chloroform Methanol 9: 1v/v a mobile phase Under Uv light five spots appear at Rf=0.10;0.23;0.61,0.72 and 0.84 (All blue) On spraying with Dragndorff's reagent six spots appear at Rf 0.10 0.23 0.42 0.610.70 and 0.84 (all orange).
KALI CARBONICUM (Kali Carb)
Chemical Symbol:K2CO3 Mol.Wt.138.213
Description:A white granular powder,odorless and hygroscopic deliquescent in air, odorless,having a strong alkaline taste. It is readily soluble in water but insoluble in alcohol. Its aqueous solution is quite alkaline. It was originally prepared from the ashes of plants. It is obtained by heating potassium bicarbonate, which is obtained by passing carbon dioxide in the solution of potassium hydroxide;contains not less than 98 per cent K2CO2.
Identification: (i) It gives a white, granular precipitate with an excess of tartaric acid which is soluble in dilute mineral acids.
(ii)It responds to the tests characteristic o potassium and of carbonates.
Arsenic: Not more than 2 parts per million.
Heavy metals: Not more than 0.6 parts per million.
Iron Sulphates: Not more than 10 parts per million. solution neutralised with dilute sulphuric acid contains not more than 10 parts per million.
Assay: Dissolve about 2g. of the dried substance, accurately weighted in 25 ml of water and I drop of solution of methyl orange and literate with 1N hydrochloric acid solution until the yellow colour changes to an orange one. Then heart the solution and boil it for 2-3 minutes. After cooling, if the yellow colour reappears continue titrating until the yellow colour changes to pink. Each ml of 1N hydrochloric acid solution is equivalent to 0.06910 of K2 CO3.
Storage: Keep in completely filled and well-closed container.
Preparation (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Kali Carbonicum in granules Saccharum Lactis To make one thousand Grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies:2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action.
Carbonate of Potash is not much used in ordinary practice,though it occasionally figures in prescriptions an antacid and was at one time used for whooping cough and externally for pruritus.
It appears to have a direct depressant action on muscular tissue, when administered intravenously, lessening the force of the heart's action and ultimately arresting it in the diastole. At first it stimulates metabolism by increasing the oxidation of proteins and fats. The excretion the total nitrogen excretion is increased.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Kali Carbonicum : Trituration
Potency : ix White amorphous powder contains not less than 9.3 Percent w/w to not more than 10.3 Percent w/w of K2Co3
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Kali Carbonicum
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.93 Percent w/w to not more than 1.03 Percent w/w o K2Co3
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5g. dissolve in 25ml. of water follow the assay method given under Kali Carbonicum For titration use 0.1N Hydrochloric Acid Each ml of 0-1N Hydrochloric Acid is Equivalent to 0.00696g of K2Co3
Potency :3x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.093 Percent w/w to not more than p.103 Percent w/w of K2Co3
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g., dissolve in 100ml. of water. Add one drop of methyl orange solution and titrate with 001N Hydrochloric acid until the yellow colour change to orange red. Then the solution is boiled for 2/3 minutes. After cooling yellow colour reappears. Continue titrating till the yellow colour changes to pink. Each ml of 0-01N Hcl is equivalent to 0.00069g of K2Co3.
LACHESIS (Lach)
Zool. Name: Crotalus (Lach) Family:Crotalidae.
History:Lachesis was introduced by Dr. C. Hering.
Description:The lachesis or bush master inhabits the hot countries of South America: it attains a length of more than seven feet,and its poison fangs are nearly one inch long. The skin is reddish brown,marked along the back with large rhomboidal spots of blackish brown colour,each of which encloses two spots of the colour of the body. The poison resembles saliva,is less viscous, limpid, inodorous,without any marked taste, in colour some what greenish at the extremity of the fang;it easily forms into drops and falls without threading;exposed to the air it soon concentrated into a dry,yellow mass,which for an indefinite time preserves it poisonous qualities. This poison introduced into a wound, or injected into a vein produces the most dreadful symptoms,and generally death. the venom of there is serpent has been more carefully proved than that of any other. The specimen used by Dr. Hering in his experiments was obtained from the living snake which was sunned with a blow;the poison was collected on sugar by pressing the poison fang upwards against the bag, and the three first attentions were prepared by trituration.
Part Used: Venom
Storage: It should be stored in glycerin
Preparation:a) Trituration Drug strength 1/100 Lachesis venom collected as directed 10g Saccharum lactis 900g To make on thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies:3x and higher to be triturated;6x may be con vertex to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class VIII.
Constituents and Action:
The direct action of he venom on the nerve centre without local inflammation or blood changes is seen in the cord and then in medulla,affecting the functional integrity of the brain, the pneumogastric causing cardiac and respiratory arrest. There may be instantaneous death.
If the victim survives the first shock,tendencies to haemorrhage are seen;oozing of dark black blood.
The seat of injury rapidly turns into foul ulcer by absorption of the venom through the vein.
The bite of he snake will suggest the character of the ailments which call for its use. They re fevers of low grace,septic and zymotic conditions attended by alarming prostration, relaxation of muscle, disorganization of blood, phlegmonous inflammation with them ichorous discharge,violent disturbances of circulation exaggerated reflexes paralysis and coma.
LYCOPODIUM CALVATUM (Lyc)
Bot. Name:Lycopodium clavatum Linn. Family:Lycopodiaceae
History:The name Lycopodium is derived firm Lucos meaning wolf,pea-meaning foot.
The shoots have an appearance like wolf foot. Clavatum is Club "The spore-bearing portion looks like a club. Therefore club-moss is the common name. Introduced to Homoeopathy after proving in 1828, by Hahnemann.
Description: A perennial, ever-green club-moss with a trailing branching stem, several meters lone,and thickly beset with linear-awl-shaped,flat, ribless,smooth leaves, tied with fine bristle, curved upward,and of a light green in pairs, with crowded, ovate,entire pointed scales,bearing in the axil a transversely oval sporagium which splits nearly to the base and contains the narrow reticulate spores. Spores are pale yellow and form very mobile powder. Spores are odorless and restless.
Distribution:Found from Kumaon eastwards in Bengal, Sikkim, Assam,khasi Khushai hills, Manipur and in Western Ghats of India. also in Europe and U.S.A.
Part Used: The spores.
Microscopical: Each spore is covered by an internal thin intine and an external considerably thick exine with a germ pore. When the spores are crushed the ruptured spores yield small drop of fixed oil. Spores are very uniform in shape and size,maximum width from 21 to 30 microns,being most commonly about 25 microns, each spore having the shape of triangular pyramid with a convex base, being the fourth part of the sphere divided by plane surfaces radiating from raised ridges,the meshes being four to six-sided; the three flat, triangular surfaces have a similar network near the mark the lines of union of the flat faces.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Lycopodium Clavatum 100 g (spores crushed)
Strong alcohol in sufficient quantity To make on thousand milliliters of the tincture.
b)Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
It was introduced by Hahnemann and according to him, trituration is the best method of preparation. The spore contains an oil which is responsible for the medicinal action. The outer covering of the spore for two hours for raising it by one potency.
Constituents and Action:
It contains 50 Percent fat, glycerides, smaller amount of palmitic and linoleic acids.
It acts on gastro-intestinal tract reducing the process of digestion, causing flatulence and constipation. It causes congestion of the liver and later it causes its hypertrophy. In the glandular system it causes congestion and induration.
Standard of Finished product: (HPI)
Lycopodium :Mother tincture Clavatum
Alcohol Content :91.0 to 95.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5-20 to 5-80
Sp.gr :From 0.810 to 0.840
Total Solids :Not less than ).35 Percentw/v
/\max :264(b) nm.
Identification :(a) Colour test Evaporate 0.5 ml of mother tincture in a porcelain dish on water bath, to dryness add two drops of sulphuric acid to the residue. Fresh golden yellow, and then violet colour is formed.
(b) Carry out Tlc of chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v( as mobile phase. In iodine vapour four spots appear at Rf=0.16, 0.18, 0.38, and 0.97.
MERCURIUS CORROSIVUS (Merc. cor.)
Chemical Symbol:Hg Cl2 Mol wt.:271.496
Description:A heavy, white, crystalline mass of rhombic prisms odourless and of a strong metallic taste. It is soluble in 13.5 parts of water,in 2.1 parts of boiling water in 3.8 pores of alcohol. When heated to, 277 it changes to commonly prepared by the direct combination of mercury and chlorine. It contains not less than 99.5 per cent of Hg Cl2
Identification:An aqueous solution responds to the reactions characteristic of mercuric salts and of chlorides.
Assay:Dissolve in a stoppered flash about 0.3 g, accurately weighted in 85 ml of water, and 10ml of solution of calcium chloride,10ml of solution of sodium hydroxide. Shake continuously for two minutes,add 20 ml of acetic acid and 35 ml of 0.1 N iodine. Shake continuously for about ten minutes or until the precipitated mercury is completely redissolved and titrate the excess of iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate,using starch solution as indicator. Each ml of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.01358g. of HgCl2
Preparation a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Mercurius Corrosivus in coarse 100g powder Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millitres of the tincture.
b)Potency: 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a bichloride of mercury and known as corrosive sub-limate.
It is a highly corrosive and irritating salt of mercury. It is destructive to mucus membranes. It causes large scale destruction in intestine and rectum. Its action is extended to ascending, transverse and descending colons, and peritoneum, tubes and ovaries.
It has irritating effect on the kidneys, producing albuminous, scanty and bloody urine.
Potency :1x White amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w w/v to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w/ w/v of Hgcl2 Assay :Complies with the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
Potency :2x white amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w or w/v to not more than 1.05 per cent w/v or w/v of Hgcl2.
Assay : Dissolve about 5g accurately weighed in 85 ml of water .... follow the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
Potency : 3x
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g, char in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 85ml of water .... follow the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
MERCURIUS SOLUBILIS (Merc. sol.)
History: Mercurius solubilis was a preparation made by Hahnemann in order to enable him to administer milder form of mercury than the corrosive salts of mercury in use in his days. It is prepared by precipitating mercury from its solution in nitric acid by means of caustic ammonia and is not pure mercury.
Mercurius Vivus is a trituration of pure mercury with sugar of milk. Both are in common use and their actions are indistinguishable.
Description: A heavy, grayish-black powder, taste slightly metallic. It is insoluble in water, alcohol and ether. It is volatilised by heat with decomposition. It contains no metallic globules.
Mercury (by weight) 85 g Nitric Acid 48 ml.
Ammonia, strong solution 15 ml.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity.
Mix nitric acid with 235 ml. of purified water in a flask and digest mercury in mixture, applying gradually, increasing heat until about 70 g of the metal has dissolved and a small portion of solution diluted with about twenty times its bulk of Purified Water yields a perfectly black precipitate with ammonia. Dilute the hot solution with 350 ml of Purified Water, while warm, filter it into a vessel containing four times its bulk of cold purified water. Having thoroughly mixed the filtrate with the Purified water, add the solution of ammonia previously diluted with 290 ml of purified water in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, as soon as the precipitate has subsided, decant the supernatant liquid, shake the precipitate with a fresh portion of purified water collect it on a filter, wash thoroughly and dry it between folds of filter paper without heat.
Storage: Keep in well-stoppered bottles, protected from light.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Mercurius solubilis precipitate 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Mercury is a tonic, purgative, cholagogue, alter-native, antiphlogestic and sorbefacient. Some of its salts are corrosive poisons and local poisons.
The metal is inert but in combination with body fluids it becomes poisonous and enters the blood circulation, producing numerous functional and destructive changes in the organs, tissues and blood itself.
In small does mercury is a tonic, and improved red blood corpuscles and the general condition of health, with gain in weight.
The continued use of small doses overstimulates lymphatic system, producing waste and retrogrative processes If mercury treatment is continued for long, definite symptoms of mercurial poisoning appear, for example reduction of red blood corpuscles and albumin content, and defective coagulation.
In the nervous system mercury causes tremors and epileptic form of seizures followed by coma and death. It eliminates very slowly from the system.
MEZEREUM (Mez)
Bot. Name: Daphne mezereum Linn. Family: Thymeliaceae
Description: A deciduous shrub, 1.3 meter in height with smooth grey-bark easily detachable from wood. Leave 5 cm long, alternate petiolate, lanceolate, entire, smooth, green, somewhat glaucous beneath. Flowers fragrant, purple rose coloured, and are in lateral clusters. The fruit is a berry.
(D I A G R A M of Mezereum)
Macroscopical: The bark inflexible, tough, somewhat flattened strips or quilled pieces up to 90 cm. in length of variable breadth and up to 10 mm in thickness dark coloured apothecia of lichens; fracture tough, fibrous, the inner bark lamellated.
Microscopical: Transverse section treated in chloral hydrate solution shows; Cork usually forming a broad zone of 20-30 layers of cells the outer being compressed and yellowish brown, the inner being tubular and nearly colourless. Cork-cambium of meristematic cells. Cortex, the outer 3-5 rows of cells of which are collenchymatous and contain either choroplastids or a greenish yellow resinous substance. Phloem a comparatively broad zone separated into phloem patches by means of narrow starch containing medullary rays 1-cell wide. Each phloem patch contains striking areas of bark loosely arranged groups of nonlignified bast fibres and sieve strands.
Distribution: Europe, especially in Central countries.
Part Used : The bark.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Mezereum in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture. b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a bitter substance - a glycoside. In large doses it is a dangerous and instant poison causing redness and varication of the skin, when left in contact with it for some time. When swallowed dryness and burning in the throat - vomiting - and occasional irritation of kidney develops.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Mezereum : Mother Tincture
Alcohol : 75.0 to 79.0 v/v.
pH : Between 4.5 to 5.2
Sp. gr. : From 0.850 to 0.910.
Total Solids : Not less than o.8 Percent w/v.
/\ max : 275 nm.
Identification : Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9.1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf: 0.16, 0.35, 0.68, 0.75 and 0.92.
NATRUM MURIATICUM (Nat. mur.)
Chemical Symbol: Na Cl Mol.wt. : 58.443
Description: A colourless, transparent, cubical crystal, or a white crystalline powder; odourless with a saline taste. It is stable in air. It is soluble in 2.8 parts of water; slightly soluble in alcohol and insoluble in hydrochloric acid. Its aqueous solution is practically neutral. Its specific gravity is 2.163. It fuses at about 804* . It is found in nature and in its purest form is obtained by passing hydrochloric acid gas into saturated solution of the salt, thus separating ........
the crystals. Contains not less than 99.5 percent of Na Cl with reference to substance dried to constant weight at 130*.
Identification: (i) A solution of sodium chloride responds to the tests characteristic of sodium and of chloride (ii) 10 g. dissolves completely in 50 ml. of water to give a clear solution.
Arsenic: Not more than 1 part per million.
Barium: Dissolve 2.0 g. in 10 ml. of water and add 2 ml. of dilute sulphuric acid; the solution remains clear for two hours.
Lead: Not more than 5 parts per million.
Loss of drying: Loses not more than 1.0 per cent of its weight when dried to constant weight at 130*.
Assay: Weigh accurately about 0.25 and dissolve in about 50 m. of water and titrate with 0.1N silver nitrate using solution of potassium chromate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N silver nitrate, is equivalent to 0.005845 g. of NaCl.
Storage: Preserve sodium chloride in a well closed container.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/100 Natrum Muriaticum in crystals 100 g Saccharum Lactis 900 g
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Natrum muriaticum or common salt, is more widely distributed in nature than any other substance except water. It is present in all the tissues and fluids of the human body, and is the most important of the chemical substance found in the blood-plasma being present in the proportion of 0.7 per cent. It is the great regulator of osmotic tension in the organism, and by this means performs one of its chief functions, viz., keeping the blood- serum at a uniform specific gravity. There are about 11 oz. of salt in the ....
human body. Any excess of this quantity introduced into the system is at once excreted by the kidneys, or, if the excreting power of the kidneys is impaired, is deposited in the tissues where, by its power of attracting water, it causes generalized or localized oedema. Salt is a powerful stimulant of metabolism, increases the capillary circulation of fluids, both of blood and lymph, and is a diuretic. It also acts as a stimulant to motor activity. Two grammes of salt daily in the food are all that is required to replenish the daily waste, but many people take more than this. Usually the excess is simply drained off by the kidneys, but it their salt-excreting function is in any way impaired retention of salt in the tissues (not in the blood) results, and symptoms of salt poisoning follow. The first symptom is a progressive hydration of the tissues, which causes the patient to gain weight before any perceptible oedema can be detected. Manifest oedema follows and distends the subcutaneous tissues so that they pit on pressure by the finger, and, more serious than this, oedema of the viscera occurs, and may be shown by dyspnoea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, Chyne-Stokes respiration, or attacks of eclampsia according as the incubus falls on the lungs digestive apparatus or the nerve centres. Death has occurred from oedema of the lungs and from oedema of the brain causing coma.
Sodium chloride modifies the toxicity of microbial excretions and is attracted to toxins present in the tissues; at the same time it attracts water, and it is in this way that the presence of toxins in the tissues causes oedema. Salt solutions are absorbed but little in the stomach and largely in the bowels; the more hypotonic they are the quicker are they absorbed.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Natrum :Trituration Muriaticum
Potency :1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of NaCl
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Natrum Muriaticum.
Potency :2x White amorphous powder. Contains not ...
less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of NaCl.
Assay : Dissolve about 5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. ... follow the assay method given under Natrum Muriaticum.
Potency :3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent w/w to not more than 0.0105 per cent w/w of NaCl.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make its ash. Dissolve the ash in 25 ml. of water and titrate with 0.01N silver nitrate using potassium chromate as indicator. Each ml of 0.01N silver nitrate is equivalent to 0.000505 g of NaCl.
NUX VOMICA (Nux vom.)
Bot. Name: Strychnos nux-vomica Linn. Family: Loganiaceae
Description: A deciduous tree, usually medium sized but sometimes attaining 30 meters in height, often armed with short axillary spines. Bark thin, grey, smooth, or rough with lenticels. Young shoots polished, deep green Leaves 7-15 cm long, broadly elliptic obtuse or acute, entire, 3-6 nerved glabrous and shining, petioles 6-12 mm long. Flowers many, greenish white, in terminal short peduncled, pubescent, compound cymes. Calyx 2.5 mm long, 5 acute. Corolla less than 12 mm long, glabrous or nearly so outside; tube cylindric, hairy inside towards the base, lobes 5, narrowly oblong, acute. Stamens 5, half exerted from the corolla tube, oblong, glabrous. Ovary glabrous. Berry globose, 2.5-7.5 cm. in diam., rough and shining, clothed on both sides with fine silky hairs radiating from the centre.
Macroscopical: Seeds, grey or greenish grey, disc-shaped, nearly flat umbonate but sometimes irregularly bent, 10-3 mm in diameter and 4 to 6 mm thick; margin rounded or somewhat acute, hilum raised and connected to the micro-pyle by radial ridge. Surface, silky, densely covered, with ....
( D I A G R A M of Nux Vomica )
radiately arranged, closely appressed, outwardly directed, lignified trichomes; endosperm, translucent, horny, having a central disc-shaped cavity, in which adjacent to the micropyle, lies the embryo, with 2 small, thin, cordate, 5 to 7 nerved cotyledons and terete radicle.
Microscopical: Testa, of one integument, outer epidermis, of lignified thick walled cells with sinuous polygonal outlines in surface view, small branched lumina and oblique linear pits, each cell prolonged externally into a closely appressed trichome upto 1mm long. The wall, having about 10 strongly lignified longitudinal ribs of the thickening; remainder of the testa consisting of flattened parenchyma, appearing in section as a brown band. In the region of the hilum, some very small spiral vessels occur components of a short vascular strand. Endosperm with very thick walled homicellulosic polyhedral cell with pits but connected by plasmodesmal strands and containing oil plasma and aleurone grains upto about 30 u in diameters. Embryo of small parenchymatous cells with oil and small aleurone grains.
Distribution: It grows in dry deciduous forests of Western Ghats and Himalayas.
Parts used : Seed.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Nux Vomica in moderately coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Nux Vomica seeds contain strychnine and nearly the allied alkaloid brucine, for action, principle being strychnine C21 H22 H2 O2.
Strychnine has a powerful stimulant action on the CNS specially on the spinal cord. First there is a feeling of stiffness, in the muscles of the neck, face. Reflex action is so much increased that a slight touch evokes a sudden and violent movement. This increased movement is accompanied by restlessness. Tremors and involuntary movements are noticed. At the beginning of the convulsion the muscles are tonically contracted, hard and firm. But soon tremors develop and the muscles go into relaxation, soon a second convulsion ensues. As a rule, after a few convulsion death ensue, from asphyxia due to respiratory failure. Strychnine causes flow of saliva and increased appetite. It is absorbed from intestines and increases the movements of the bowels.
Standard for finished product :(HPI)
Nux Vomica : Mother tincture.
Alcohol content : 72.0 to 76.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 to 6.0
Sp.gr. : From 0.850 to 0.900.
Total Solids : Not less than 0.89 Percent w/v.
max : 238 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test: To 2 ml. mother tincture add a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid and a a few drops of Meyer's Reagent yellow colour appears.
(b) Evaporates 20 ml mother tincture on a water bath to remove alcohol.
Make alkaline with ammonia solution.
and extract thrice with 20 ml. chloro- form concentrate the chloroforms extract/with standard brucine and strychnine using cyclohexane and carryout CO TLC of Chloroform Extract with standard brucine and strychnine using cyclohexane: Chloro- form: Ethylamine (5:4:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragndorff's reagent as spray reagent. Two spots corresponding to brucine and strychnine appear.
OPIUM (Opium)
Bot.name: Papaver Somniferum Linn. Family: Papaveraceae
History: `Opium' is Latin name-meaning "Piece of the Poppy' somnus, meaning sleep and hence the name. The medical properties were known before Christian era.
Distribution: India.
Part Used: Gummy juice.
Description: A glaucous annual, usually quite glabrous, rarely branched. Leaves oblong anplexicaul. lobed; lobes .....
dentate. Flowers large, white, sometimes purplish or scarlet. Capsule stalked, 2.5 cm. in diam; globose, glabrous; stigmatic rays 5.12. Seeds white or black.
Macroscopical: Indian opium cubical pieces; wrapped in tissue paper, varying from hard and brittle to plastic, internally, dark brown, smooth and homogenous.
Microscopical: In the residue left after exhaustion with water, the following structures are usually found: a few fragments of the other epidermis of the poppy capsule; epidermal cells small, for 5 or 6-sided with strongly thickened walls, stomata, few, large of the ranunculaceous type; fragments of poppy leaf; showing upper epidermis of thin-walled polygonal cells with no stomata. Lower epidermis of cells with slightly wavy walls, stomata, numerous large, of the ranunculaceous type; fragments of mesophyll and vascular bundles.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Opium in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tinctures, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains about 25 alkaloids. Chief alkaloids are Morphine, Codeine Narcotine, Narcine and Papavarine. Dry opium contains 40 Percent total alkaloids, whereas Morphine is 10 Percent and the rest are in low quantity.
Opium acts on the brain, causing intense congestion and profound coma. It produces complete anesthesia of the posterior part of spinal cord. The pupils become greatly contracted because of its action of the occulomotor centre.
It causes obstinate constipation and diminishes the secretion and increases the solids which are the formation of the faeces in hard black balls.
Identification: Colour Test 2 ml. of tincture is acidified by 2 drops ....
of sulphuric Acid, add 1 ml. Mayer's reagent, yellowish precipitate settles down with turbid solution (Alkaloids).
PHOSPHORUS (Phos)
Chemical Symbol: P At. wt. 30.974
Description: It is colourless or pale yellow, semi-translucent or transparent with waxy lusture and consistency at ordinary temperature; odour disagreeable and tasteless. It is brittle and crystalline at low temperature but soft and pliable at ordinary temperature. When exposed to air, it emits white fumes, which are luminous in the dark and have garlicky odour. It is almost insoluble in water, soluble in 400 parts of absolute alcohol. Its specific gravity is 1.82 melts at about 44*. It is obtained in the crude state from calcined bones.
Identification: When heated at about 55* C it ignites spontaneously with a brilliant white flame.
Storage: Keep under water in strong, well-closed containers in a cool place and protected from light. Handle carefully with forceps.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/667
Introduce 2 grammes of Phosphorus into a flask containing 100 ml. of strong alcohol. Heat over a water bath till the phosphorus melts and then shake vigorously till the excess Phosphorus solidifies. This saturated drug solution will be equal in drug strength to about one art in six hundred and sixty seven (1/667). To compensate for loss by oxidation and to retain the full strength of the solution a small piece of Phosphorus should be kept in each bottle containing the tincture, and be removed whenever coated with the amorphous variety.
b) Potency: 3x to contain two parts of tincture, one part of Strong Alcohol. 4x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Phosphorus is an element insoluble in water and body fluids. but when taken in mass and is dissolved ......
in oil and fats, it induces fatal poisoning, even in 2 grain quantity.
Primarily it acts on the nervous system-causing hyper- sensitivity.
It has profound action on circulation and blood vessels, causing passive congestion, ebullitions echymoses, petechiae. It disintegrates red blood corpuscles and destroys the power of coagulation.
It affects the liver, causing fatty degeneration, resembling that of chloroform poisoning.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
PHOSPHORUS : Mother Tincture (Contains not less that 0.15 per cent w/v to not more than 0.16 per cent w/v of phosphorus)
Alcohol Content : 91.0 to 95.0 per cent v/v Dry about 10g accurately weighed on water bath and from the residue proceed as given in the schoniger oxygen flask method.
Identification : Colour Test Impregnate the round filter paper with a mixture of solution 10 Percent Zinc chloride, 50 parts of Hydrochloric Acid, 100 parts water. Spot a drop of phosphorus solution on it. Add a few drops of Ammonium molybdate solution; deep blue colour appears.
PLATINUM METALLICUM (Plat. met.)
Chemical Symbol: Pt. At.wt.195.09
Description: A lustrous, greyish-white, malleable and ductile metal; good conductor of heat and electricity. It is stable in air and does not tarnish on exposure to air. It is insoluble in single acid, but is soluble in hot aqua regia with the formation of chloroplatinic acid. Its specific gravity is 21.45. It melts at 1773*. It is found as native, precipitated platinum, fit for homoeopathic trituration, may be obtained by placing polished steel rods in a dilute solution of platinic chloride upon which the metal will be deposited as a spongy iron-grey mass, without lustre. The precipitate, after being scraped off the rods with wooden scrapers, is to be boiled with hydrochloric acid, then washed well with purified water and dried.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Platinum metallicum 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a precious metal and resembles gold in its toxicological expressions, but it is more irritant.
In small poisonous doses it produces tremors, cramps and convulsions-originating in spinal cord and medulla.
In large doses it causes paralysis of the central nervous system through respiratory centres preceded by impaired sensations and surface coldness.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Potency : 1x Grayish white amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Pt.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Platinum Metallicum. Weigh accurately about 1 g. char it in silica crucible and proceed with the ash as given in the method.
Potency : 2x Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Pt.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g. char it in silica crucible and proceed with ash as given in assay method under Platinum Metallicum.
PLUMBUM METALLICUM (Pb. met.)
Chemical Symbol: Pb At.wt. 207.19
Description: A heavy, bluish grey, soft feebly lustrous metal; tarnishes on exposure to air. Pure water does not attack it in the absence of air. It is attacked by all acids when heated. Its specific gravity is 11.34. It melts at 327.4* C and boils at 1740* C. It is commonly obtained from its ores, which are abundant in nature.
Identification: A solution in nitric acid responds to all reactions characteristic of lead.
Total foreign metals (as sulphates): Not more than 0.02 per cent as determined by the following method:-
Dissolve 50 g. in 175 ml of dilute nitric acid with the aid of gentle heat. Filter by suction through a NO.4 sintered glass crucible and wash the filter with 25 ml. of water. Combine the filtrate and washings. To 75 ml. of this solution add 20 ml. of water and 10 ml. of sulphuric acid, allow to stand for 15 minutes, and filter. Evaporate the filtrate until white fumes are evolved, cool, add 5 ml of water and again evaporate until white fumes are evolved, cool and add 10 ml. of water and 100 ml. absolute alcohol. Allow to stand for 2 hours and filter. Remove the alcohol from the filtrate by evaporation and dilute to 95 ml with water. Take 50 ml. of the solution in silica dish and evaporate to dryness and ignite gently. Not more than 2 mg of residue is obtained.
Assay: Dissolve accurately about 4.16g. of lead in water, add a few drops of dil. Nitric Acid and dilute it to 250 ml. with distilled water in a volumetric flask. Pipette 25 ml. in a 250 ml. and add 2-3 drops of xylenol orange. If the colour of the solution is red, add very dilute nitric Acid cautiously and with stirring until the solution requires yellow colour. Now add powdered hexamine until the colour is intensely red. Titrate with 0.05m of EDTA solution until the colour changes to lemon yellow. Each ml. of 0.5m Ethyle diaminetetra Acetic acid (EDTA) is equivalent to 0.01036 g. of Pb.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Plumbum metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be trituration; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Lead is an element. The metal is not destructive of cells and is an astringent and not corrosive.
Colics arthralgia, paralysis and encephalopathy are the predominant effects.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Plumbum Metallicum : Triturate
Potency : 1x Grayish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.40 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Pb.
Assay : Dissolve about 2 g accurately weighed in 10 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given for Plumbum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Grayish white amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of pb.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g in char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in 10 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given under Plumbum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0,094 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w of pb.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g, in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 10 ml. concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given under Plumbum Metallicum.
Colour Test : Sufficient quantity of the substance is ashed and the residue is dissolved in Nitric Acid. The concentrated residue is treated with water and used for tests.
Dissolve 1 g. of trituration 1x in 5 ml. of water, and heat with potassium chromate solution: it gives a yellow precipitate or turbidity.
PULSATILLA NIGRICANS (Puls.)
Bot. Name: Pulsatilla nigricans Linn. Family: Ranunculaceae
History: The name is derived from Latin Pulsatus meaning `to beat' or to strike; when the wind blows it pulsates. Hahnemann introduced this in Homoeopathic Practice in 1805.
Distribution: Open fields and plains in dry places in many parts of Europe, Russia and Asia.
Description: A deciduous, perennial herb with a spindle shaped, thick, ligneous dark brown, oblique, several, headed root. Stem upto 1.5 meter high, simple, erect, rounded; Leaves radical, petiolate bipinnatifid with linear segments; at the base, surrounded by several ovate, lanceolate sheaths. Flowers varying in colour from dark violet to light blue, bellshaped pendulous, terminal reflexed at the open, surrounded
by distinct sessile involucre, composed of 3 palmately divided and cleft bracts with linear lobes.
Microscopical: (Powder) Light olive brown to dusky greenish yellow; numerous simple, thick-walled hair upto 2 mm in length and up to 20 u in thickness, tracheid up to 35 u in breadth with spiral markings or bordered pores; fragments of epidermal tissue with stomata, the latter being broadly elliptic and up to 55 u in length in some stem epidermis; some epidermal cells with wavy vertical walls; calcium oxalate crystals and starch grain-few or absent.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Pulsatilla nigricans in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified water 300 ml.
Strong Alcohol 730 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol: 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a crystalline alkaloid anemonin, which is present in greater amount in P. nigricans than P. nuttaliana. The plant grows on potassium-rich soil, and therefore .......
contains potassium sulphate, anemonic acid and oil of anemone.
It is an active irritant to skin-causing burning and tingling.
In experiments on animals, 9 gr. anemonin killed rabbits in three or four hours. The heart's pulsations were diminished in strength and frequency and respiration was slowed; finally, diarrhoea, stertorous breathing, sinking of temperature, semi- paralysis of the lungs and death in stupor occurred. At post- mortem the heart walls were relaxed and the heart full of black, clotted blood; there were congestion and oedema of the lungs, and marked hyperaemia of the membranes of the brain and cord, especially in the neighbourhood of the medulla oblongata.
Our knowledge of the range of action of pulsatilla has been obtained from the provings n healthy human beings. It acts on all the mucous membranes of the body and produces thick, bland discharges. It acts also on the synovial membranes, on the veins, causing varicosis and on the generative organs of both sexes. It affects the special organs of sense, the eyes and ears- causing inflammation of those organs-and produces an itching eruption of the skin. The influence of pulsatilla on the organism is extensive but not lethal, and its inflammation do not progress to deep, destructive lesions.
Standard for finished product: HPI
Pulsatilla Nigricans : Mother Tincture
Alcohol Content : 66.0 to 70.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 4.7 to 5.7
Sp.gr. : From 0.870 to 0.900
Total Solids : Not less than 1.20 per cent w/v
T max : 281 nm
Identification : (a) Colour Test: Mix 1 ml tincture with 2 ml 30 Percent potassium hydroxide and 3 ml ethanol (45 Percent) turbidity gradually blue to bluish violent opalescence residues which under the incident light against the black background is well visible.
: (b) Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform:methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and antimony trichloride solution as spray reagent. Four spots appear under UV light at Rf.
0.61, 0.71 and 0.91 (all blue) and with spray reagent four spots appear at Rf. 0.14, 0.71, 0.95 and 0.98.
RHUS TOXICODENDRON (Rhus. tox.)
Bot.Name: Rhus toxicodendron Mich. Family: Anacardiaceae
History: `Rhus' means "red", since its flowers and leaves are red in colour, particularly in autumn. Toxicodendron means poisonous plant. Its juice was used as an indelible ink for marking clothes. Introduced in Homoeopathic practice by Hahnemann in 1816.
(D I G R A M of Rhus Toxicodendron)
Description: A deciduous shrub with reddish, branching stem up to 1 meter high or climbing by rootlets. Leaves ......
alternate ternate, the lateral leaflets unequal at the base and sessile, the terminal larger at the ends of prolongation of the common petiole, rhombic ovate, pointed. Flowers small, greenish- white, polygamous; and in loose and slender axillary panicles. Whole plant is resinous, milky with acrid juice staining black and extremely poisonous.
Distribution: In the forest of United States.
Parts Used: Leaves.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Rhus toxicodendron in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
The active principles of Rhus tox are toxicodendron, a fixed oil, and volatile substance known as toxicodendric acid, which is given off, from the plant in greatest amount after the sun goes down, in damp or cloudy weather and in the warm days of June and July.
It affects the joints causing rheumatic type pains.
Finished Product Standard:
Rhus Toxicodendron : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 75.0 to 79.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.20 to 6.00
Sp.gr. : From 0.860 to 0.890
Total solids : Not less than 0.65 per cent v/v
/\ max : 261 nm.
Identification : Colour Test: Heat 3 ml tincture or 5 ml of 1x dilution with 0.05g. Resorcin and 1ml Hydrochloric acid in boiling water bath. Tincture is coloured ...
dark red and 1x dilution is coloured pink.
Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform; methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under UV light six spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.13, 0.51, 0.73, 0.8 and 0.92 (all Blue).
RUTA GRAVEOLENS (Ruta)
Bot.Name: Ruta graveolens Linn Family:-Rutaceae
Description: Strong-smelling glandulose herb often shrubby below Leaves petioled decompound, segments cuneate, spatulate oblong or linear oblong. Flowers yellow in divericately spreading corymbs; pedicles longer than the capsule; bracts lanceolate. Sepal triangular acute. Petals oblong-obovate, pectinate, abruptly clawed Capsules obtuse, shortly pedicelled. Seeds angled.
Distribution : Cultivated in gardens throughout India, and other countries of western Asia.
(D I A G R A M of Ruta graveolens)
Part used: The whole plant.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ruta graveolens in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 300 ml.
Strong Alcohol 730 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a glucoside Rutin and an essential oil rutoside.
It acts on fibrous and bony tissues specially around the joints. It causes general bruised sensation. The tissue around the joints feel very stiff, and as if shortened.
It also acts on the gastric mucosa causing soreness. Catarrh of the intestinal mucosa causing diarrhoea and may produce prolapse of rectum.
It is also an aborificient, causes menorrhagia. Its action on the muscles of the eye ball is important; causes great weakness followed by headache and dimness of vision.
Standard of Finished Product: (HPI)
Ruta Graveolens : Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 66.2 to 70.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 to 6.0
Sp.gr. : From 0.880 to 0.930
Total solids : Not less than 1.5 per cent v/v
/\ max : 251, 315 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test: Boil 1 ml tincture with fehling's solution strong yellowish red precipitate of copper oxide is formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of concentrated mother tincture on silica gel `G'
plate using butanol: acetic: acid Water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase.
Under UV light 2 spots appear at Rf.0.50, 0.78. With antimony trichloride spray reagent 2 spots appear at Rf.0.50 and 0.93.
SAMBUCUS NIGRA (Samb nig)
Bot.Name: Sambucus Nigra Linn Family: Caprifoliaceae
Description: Deciduous tree, 4-9m high with deeply-furrowed whitish bark; branches greyish and strongly lenticellate; leaves petiolate opposite, odd-pinnate, leaflets 3-7 short stalked, elliptic, acuminate sharply serrate, shining, paler beneath, 5-16 cm long. Flowers creamy-white in five-parted cymes; calyx-5 small and green; corolla five, ovate, rotate, 4-8mm in diameter forming a short tube; stamena-5, epipetalous, filamenta short, anthers yellow; ovary inferior and tricarpellary. Fruits black, lustrous, globose, 3-celled and 50-65mm in diameter.
Microscopical Leaves dorsiventral, trichomes glandular with uniseridate stalk and ellipsoidal, multicellular head, leaf-teeth
possessing glands at vein-terminations, stomata ranunculaceous, palisade with arm-palisade cells. Petiole with extra-floral nectaries and five vascular strands in an arc in transection through distal end.
Distribution: Europe, West Africa, Great Britain, Japan, and Siberia.
Part Used : Leaves and flowers.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Sambucus Nigra in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part Mother Tincture four parts Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains an acid, Viburnic acid, identical with Valerianic aid an oil-Sambucus oil found in flowers and Tannins, Sugar, fat resin and colouring matter.
Dr. Ubelacker's experiments with from 20 to 50 drops of the tincture gave the symptom of drawing in the head with anxious dread flushed and blotched face dryness and sensation of swelling of the mucosa membranes of the mouth pharynx, larynx and trachea. Frequent and clear profuse urine heaviness in chest, palpitation in the heart tachycardia, till perspiration developed. Sharp darting rheumatic pains in joints. Profuse perspiration relieved all symptoms.
SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS (Sang ca)
Bot.Name: Sanguinaria canadensis Linn. Family: Papaveraceae
Description: a perennial, acaulescent herb with a red cylindrical, prostrate rhizome 2.5-10 cm. long, 6-18 mm. ....
thick slightly branched with fibrous root beneath, and having an abundant, red-orange, acrid juice. Leaves arising from each bud of the rhizome, are five to nine palmately lobed on long red orange-coloured petioles, glabrous, pale green above, bluish white beneath, with orange-coloured, veins. Flowers white showy 2.5-4 cm in diameter on a one-flowered, naked scape 15cm high, the bud erect, the petals usually eight, not crampled.
Habitat: India, United States and Canada.
Parts Used: Rhizome.
Macroscopical: The drug occurs in entire or broken pieces of rhizome and roots. Rhizome, of horizontal growth, more or less cylindrical, somewhat vertically compressed, simple or branched, 2 to 7 cm in length and 5-16 mm in diameter, externally brown, slightly annulate from leaf scars showing on its upper surface a few stem scars and on its lower and lateral surfaces, numerous intact or broken filiform roots and also root scars, fracture short and uneven.
Microscopical: Transverse section of the rhizome shows; epidermis, a layer of thin-walled outer cells. Cortex consisting of about 10-15 rows of parenchyma cells with thin walls, and containing numerous small spheroidal ovoid or plano convex starch grains, and occasionally globules of fixed oil. A comparatively narrow circular zone of numerous small, open collateral, fibro- vascular bundles separated from each ......
other by short medullary rays. A very broad pith of thin-walled parenchyma cells rich in starch. Latex cells, either isolated or arranged in chain and containing an orange-red, red or reddish brown latex, are to be observed scattered among cells of the cortex pith and medullary rays.
Preparation:a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Sanguinaria canadensis in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: It contains an alkaloid Sangunarine which is identical with chelidonin, the alkaloid present in chelidonium maj.
It is an irritant of the mucus membranes and excites vomiting. It depresses circulation but excites Nervous System causing symptoms like tetanus. At times causes increased menstrual flow.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Sanguinaria : Mother tincture Canadensis
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.50 to 6.20
Sp.gr. : From 0.870 to 0.920
Total Solids : Not less than 0.80 per cent w/v
/\ max. : 297 and 323 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform: methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under UV light seven spots appear at Rf. 0.16, 0.22, 0.31, 0.34 (all grey), 0.88 (brown), 0.91 (yellow) and 0.96 (brown)
Evaporate 20 ml mother tincture on water bath to remove alcohol. Make it alkaline with ammonia solution and extract with 3 x 20 ml. chloroform. Concentrate the chloroform extract to 2ml and carryout co-TLC with sanguinarine using chloroform: methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragndorff's reagent for spray. Spot corresponding to Sanguinarine appears.
SECALE CORNUTUM
Bot.Name: Claviceps Purpurea (Fries) Tul Family: Hypocreaceac
Description: A fungus growing upon the seed of the Secale cornutum. The grains or ergots, are 8-12 mm long, 3-6 mm in diameter, sub-cylindrical, or obtuse triangular, tapering towards the ends generally somewhat curved, transversely fissured, having three longitudinal furrows, and a detachable, yellowish hood at the apex; externally it is purplish-black, internally whitish, the surface is of uniform texture and breaks with a smooth fracture.
(D I A G R A M of Secale Cornutum)
It has a peculiar, offensive odour, a rancid taste, deteriorates when kept for a long time.
Distribution: Found in fields on the rye plant.
Parts Used : Whole fungus freshly dried in coarse powder.
Macroscopical: Dark violet to nearly black usually from about 1 to 3 cm long and from 1 to 5 mm broad, fusiform obscurely 3- angled, usually tapering towards both ends, often with a longitudinal furrowed on each face and transversely cracked, brittle, fracture short; internally whitish or pinkish-white, and showing lines radiating from the centre.
Microscopical: Outer region thin that of a few layers of dark purple to dark-brown, collapsed cells in regular longitudinal rows; remainder of the sclerotium of dense pseudo-parenchyma small rounded, or oval cells, varying in size, somewhat elongated in the central region with thin and colourless, highly refractive chitinous walls, calcium oxalate, spores and vascular tissues absent.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Secale cornutum freshly ground into coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 530 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Ergot is motor excitant a vascular contractor, hemostatic, emmenagogue, anhydrotic and oxytocic. It raises the blood pressure by stimulating the vasomotor centres and producing tetanic contraction of the circular muscle fibres of the arterioles although the pulse is slowed and apparently weakened.
Ergot is distinctly byphasic in action. The acute effect is produced by large dose. It is manifested in irritation of gastro-intestinal tract, unstriped muscles contract e.g. sphincters; and uterus, the pupils, dilate, anaemia of the brain and spinal cord results in coldness of the body surface, tetanic spasm and violent clonic convulsion.
In small doses ergot produces two forms of phenomena. Convulsions and gangrene. The tetanoid spasm involve flexor muscles, the uterus the muscular coat of intestine, muscles of respiration and may end in coma or death.
Gangrene begins with extreme coldness of the part, this sense of formication, under the skin, all over the body, loss of sensibility bullae filled with black blood, dry or moist gangrenous areas, systemic poisoning, coma and death.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
Secale Cornutum : Mother tincture
Alcohol Content : 44.0 to 48.0 Percent v/v
pH : between 5.0 to 6.2
Sp.Gr. : From 0.92 to 0.950
Total Solids : Not less than 0.80 w/v
/\ max : 248 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as Mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf.0.06 to 0.20 (Brown); 0.53 (brown), 0.71 (grey) and 0.92 (Brown).
SEPIA (Sepia)
Zoological Name: Sepia officinalis Linn. Family: Sepiadae
Description: The cuttle fish in a cephalopodous mollusc, without an external shell, from one to two feet long, soft gelatinous, of a brown colour verging on red and spotted back; its body is rounded, elliptical and enclosed in a sac furnished with a fleshy fin on each side along its whole length. The head, separated from the body by a neck is salient and round, and provided with salient eyes of a liverly red colour. The mouth is surrounded by ten arms which are pedunculated, very large and furnished with suckers. The cuttle fish ink is an excretory liquid contained in a bag about the size and shape of a grape within the abdomen of sepia; it is blackish brown, and used by these animals to darken the water when they wish to catch their
prey or escape from their pursuers. The ink-bag is found separate from the liver, and deeper in the abdominal cavity its external duct ends in a kind of funnel, and opens near the anus of the animal. In the back of the fish is found an oval, oblong movable bone, from 8 to 12 cms long and from one and 4 to 8 cm broad, somewhat convex, cretaceous and spongy. Sepia in a dry state as it occurs in trade, appears to be a dark blackish-brown solid mass of shining conchoidal, very brittle fracture, having a faint smell of seafish, nearly without taste and scarcely dyeing the saliva. It is enclosed in little skins and has the shape of grapes.
Distribution: The Indian Ocean and other seas of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Part Used: Inky juice found in bag-like structure in the abdomen of the cuttle fish.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Sepia in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: Sepia is known to contain calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate. It is not toxic in any case. Only the provings have exhibited its action on the human system.
Our knowledge of its pathogenic and curative effect is clinical. This has been confirmed by a proving in 1874 carried out by thirty provers of American Institute of Homoeopathy. The laboratory evidence of the action as a drug is lacking.
Standard of Finished Product: (HPI)
SEPIA :Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 90.0 to 940 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.9 to 6.8
Spl.gr. : from 0.850 to 0.940.
Total solids : Not less than 0.80 per cent w/v.
/\ max. : 260 and 280 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform :methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf.0.44 and 0.80.
SILICEA (Sil)
Chemical Symbol: Sio2 Mol.Wt.60.06
Description: A white amorphous powder, tasteless and odourless. It is insoluble in water and in dilute acids excepting only hydrochloric acid. It is prepared by the following process:-
Take one part of silica, in powder, and four parts of dry sodium carbonate. Fuse the sodium carbonate in a large clay crucible and gradually add the silica powder to the fused mass, at each addition carbon dioxide escapes. When the evolution of carbon dioxide ceases, pour the fused mass upon a clean marble slab, and while slightly warm break it in a sufficient quantity of distilled water to dissolve it; the stopper is to be capped with a wet bladder. Next day dilute the solution and rapidly filter through cotton wool. Add the filtered liquor hydrochloric acid to the filter through cotton wool gradually in small quantities. The hydrated silica is precipitated in the form of bulky gelatinous white precipitate. Collect the precipitate and wash with distilled water upon a square frame filter. The washing must be continued until the filtrate is tasteless and no longer precipitates the solution of silver nitrate. Then dry upon a porcelain water-bath when it shrinks to an impalpable powder.
Identification: When a small fragment of silica is introduced in a bead of microcosmic salt (sodium ammonium phosphate)and heated, silica will float in the bead while hot and upon cooling, the bead will become opaque and show a bead-like structure.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Silicea in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: Silica is a common quarts widely distributed in nature, in the soil, rock formation and glacial detrius, river beds and shores. It affords stiffness and rigidity to plants.
Traces of silica are found in the blood and other fluids of the body in connective tissue epidermis hair nails and bones.
It is inert in natural state. By trituration and potentisation it is transformed into a very powerful and curative agent.
Its pace is slow and effects are long-lasting, therefore hardly used in acute diseases.
It strikes directly at the function of assimilation and through this action a majority of its effects are produced.
Carefully incinerate 1 g. of 1 x or 10 g. of 2nd trituration, dissolve the residue in a freshly prepared caustic soda solution (hot). This solution can be used for testing of silicic acid as follows.
Take 5 drops of clear filtrate in a small porcelain dish and add 1 ml. ammonium molybdate solution and heat to 40-50* C cool the solution with 1 ml. of acetic acid benzidine solution (preparation: dissolve 0.05 g benzidine in 10 ml. acetic acid solution and dilute it to 100 ml with water.
Assay: Ignite 2.0g of 1x triturate at 800* C till constant weight, in a porcelain dish. It is incinerated by raising the temperature slowly. Allow the powder to cease glowing first and then to dark red glow, till no charcoal is visible in the residue. If you do not get white residue, add a few drops of 65 Percent nitric acid to cold material, and repeat the test (i.e. carefully heat and ignite residue again, cool it in a desiccator and weigh thereby the residue for a given weight must be 0.149 g. min and 0.17 g. max.
This range corresponds to a content of 7.2 (minimum) and 8.5 Percent (maximum) silicic acid anhydride, (minimum) 9.5
and (maximum) 10.55 Percent moisture containing silicic anhydride (Sio2 aq) respectively.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Potency 1x contains: not less than 9.50 Percent to not more than 10.80 Percent of the drug.
Potency 2x contains: not less than 0.95 Percent to not more than 1.05 Percent of the drug.
Potency 3x contains: not less than 0.095 Percent to more than o,105 Percent of the drug.
SPIGELIA (Spig)
Bot.Name: Spigelia marilandica Linn. Family: Loganiaceae
Description: Perennial herb, 30-40 cm. high with small, twisted, knotty horizontal rhizome, 5 cm. long 2-3 mm in ....
(D I A G R A M OF Spigelia Marilandies)
diameter, giving numerous long,slender fibrous yellow roots beneath. Stems several, erect purplish, simple, smooth, quadrangular above and rounded below Leaves few, entire, opposite sessile, exstipulate, ovate-lanceolate acute, smooth, paler beneath, slightly pubescent on veins and 5-8 cm. long. Flowers 4-12, brilliant red, large, sessile or very short stalked, tubular, funnel-shaped ebracteate placed singly at short intervals on one side of spike terminating each stem; calyx small, smooth, persistent, very deeply divided into 5-linear subulate, erect acute, bright crimson outside, yellow within; stamens-5 epipetalous filamenta short exserted, anthera erect liner-oblong and 2-celled, ovary superior, compressed and bilocular, style long, flattened below and hairy above. Fruit loculicidally dehiscent capsule, compressed laterally, 2-celled smooth, yellow or greenish-yellow.
Macroscopical: Rhizome entire or in pieces, 1.5-7 cm long, 2-5 mm in diameter, finely annulate, dark-brown externally, tortuous knotty, bearing numerous cup-shaped scars of stem bases above, and slender, coarse, wiry finely branched rootlets below; fracture short, brittle uneven, inner surface containing whitish bark, yellowish wood and dark-brown pith. Rootlets light coloured,thin long, brittle and sometimes containing bark attached at terminal parts. Odour aromatic, taste bitter, sweetish, pungent and nauseous.
Microscopical: Rhizome: Epidermal cells dark brown with outer walls thick; cortex 10-15 layered with isodiametric cells containing spheroidal polygonal starch-grains, 6 in diameter; endodermis of tangentially elongated cells containing Casparian spots on radial walls; phloem 150 broad containing phloem parenchyma and sieve tubes; xylem compact, radially arranged, with trachea and tracheids possessing bordered pits and spiral thickenings in longitudinal sections; interxylary phloem containing sieve tubes surrounded by phloem parenchyma; pith parenchymatous with thick-walled cells containing small starch grains. Root: Epidermal cells with numerous hairs, cortex broad, and parenchymatous containing small starch grains radial fibro- vascular bundles containing 6-8 alternating patches of xylem and phloem; pith small.
Distribution: West-Indies; East and North America to Florida and Texas.
Parts Used: Whole plant.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Spigelia, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol. 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Spigelia, in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
Constituents and Action:
Spigelia first irritates and then depresses the brain and spinal cord; its chief influence is on the cord. It also depresses both the circulation and the respiration. Its irritation of the spinal cord is shown in the motor sphere by spasmodic movements of the facial muscles, strabismus, protrusion of the eyeballs and subsultus tendinum; in the sensory sphere by violent neuralgic pains, which may occur in any nerve of the body, but are most common in the trigeminus, in the nerves of the scalp and in the cutaneous nerves of the chest and cardiac region. It also affects the fibrous tissues, especially those of the eyes and heart.
SPONGIA TOSTA (Spong to)
Zoological Name: Sycon gelatinosum Class: Porifera
Description: Two or more species of spongia, known as turkey sponge, are used. The horny skeleton, from which the desired substance is prepared, consists mostly of siliceous or calcareous matter, while the spongy portion is soft elastic and compressible and traversed by many lacunae, with circular openings on the surface. Bleached sponges are not suitable for medicinal purposes, and those selected pieces are roasted until brown and friable.
Distribution: The Mediterranean near Syria and Greece.
Parts Used: Whole body including skeleton.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Spongia tosta in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Spongia Tosta in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of trituration. b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Though Spongia belongs to animal kingdom, it contains iodine, bromine, calcium phosphate, and carbonate, potassium iodide, aluminium sulphate, Silica, Sodium chloride and other minerals. It is a very complex substance.
Spongia acts principally on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract arresting secretion and causing intense inflammation, and croupous exudate; on the glands, the thyroid and testicles, producing swelling and induration; on the heart, arterial circulation and blood, resulting in palpitation, orgasm of blood to the chest and head pulsating in the arteries, fibrinous deposits and the valves of the heart and decrease of fibrin in the blood current. It's most useful in chronic bronchitis, goitre, laryngitis, spasmodic cramp, endocarditis complicated with valvular disease and orchitis.
Standard for Finished Product:
Spongia Tosta : Mother Tincture
Alcohol Content : 75.0 to 79.0 v/v
pH : Between 5.8 to 6.5
Sp.Gr. : From 0.850 to 0.880
total solids : Not less than 0.30 w/v
/\ max : 264 nm
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract .....
using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase.
Under UV light give spots appear at Rf = 0.13, 0.19, 0.56 and 0.75 (all blue) and 0.82 Red. With antimony trichloride reagent five spots appear at RF 0.42, 0.52, 0.78 and 0.97 (all violets)
STANNUM METALLICUM (Stan. Met.)
Chemical Symbol: Sn. At.Wt. 119.09
Description: A silver white lustrous, soft very malleable and ductile metal; only slightly, tenacious, easily powdered. When being bent emit the crackling tin cry. Stable in air, but when in powder form it oxidizes, especially in presence of moisture. Insoluble in water and alcohol, but soluble slowly in cold dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute nitric acid and in hot sulphuric acid. The precipitated metal is used for trituration.
Identification: a) When metallic zinc is placed in a solution of tin in hydrochloric acid the tin is precipitated in metallic form. The precipitated metal is soluble in boiling hydrochloric acid, and the resulting solution, containing stannous chloride, yields a white or grey precipitate with mercuric chloride.
b) A solution in acid gives a brownish black precipitate with hydrogen sulphide.
Total foreign metals: Not more than 0.04 per cent as determined by the following method:-
Heat 2.5 g. with 15 ml. of nitric acid on a water bath until all the metal is dissolved, then evaporate to dryness, cool, digest with 3 ml of dilute nitric acid and 30 ml of water for 65 minutes, and filter. Evaporate the filtrate to dryness and ignite, weigh the residue. Not more than 1 mg of residue is obtained.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Stannum metallicum precipitated 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
This is a metal. Stannum acts principally on the nerves mucus membranes, chest and female genitals. The salts paralyze the central nervous system in the frog and the heart later. In mammals certain parts of the N.S. are paralyzed and others stimulated. Vomiting colic and diarrhoeas occur with great weakness. The provings confirm and supplement these physiological results gained from experiment on animals.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Potency 1x White amorphous powder Contains not less than 9.40 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Complies with the assay method given as follows.
Potency 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Weigh accurately about 5 g. char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in Hydrochloric Acid. Follow assay method given for Stannum Metallicum.
Potency 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in Hydrochloric Acid. Follow assay method given for Stannum Metallicum.
STRAMONIUM (Stram)
Bot Name: Dature stramonium Linn Family: Solanaceae
Synonym : Dature talula Linn.
Description: A coarse bushy annual 0.6-1.2 m high glabrous or farinose puberulous. Leaves stalked, about 18 cm long, ovate, deeply toothed or sinuate pale green. Calyx 2.5 cm; lobes 6 mm long, ovate lanceolate. Corolla 7.5-15 cm long white 2.5-7.5 cm. diam. lobes 5, cuspidate. Capsule erect, ovoid deeply 4-valved, covered with rigid long and short prickles surrounded below by the enlarged reflex base of the calyx.
(D I A G R A M OF Stramonium) Macroscopical: Leaves are dark, greyish green and much shrivelled and twisted as a result of drying. The petiole is short and twisted. Young leaves bear numerous trichomes but elder ones are almost glabrous. Stems dichotomously branched. Ovary is superior, conical spuriously tetralocular in lower part and covered with short emergences. Odour disagreeable and characteristic; taste unpleasant and bitter.
Microscopical: Leaf smooth cuticle and sinuous anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells, cruciferous stomata, rare in ....
the upper epidermis but numerous in the lower; straight or slightly curved uniseriate, conical trichomes with thin warty walls, usually 3-celled, the basal cell being the largest and usually exceeding 50 u in length and 35 u breadth, the glandular trichomes which are usually curved composed each of a short 1 or 2 -celled pedicel and 2-7 celled pyriform glandular had; a single row of palisade cells and beneath it the crystal layer containing in most of the cells a single cluster crystal of calcium oxalate or occasional prisms of microspheroidal crystals; the presence of perimedullary phloem in the midrib. Stem, the trichomes and epidermia resembling those of the leaf but often attaining a length of 800; the occasional pericycle fibres; the numerous wood fibres and vessels the crystals sacs, and perimedullary phloem of stems, the pollen grains 60-80 in diam, with three large pores and a coarsely warty exine.
Part Used: Whole Plant.
Distribution: Occurs abundantly in Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim upto 300 m, Hilly tracts of Madhya Pradesh and South India.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Stramonium moist magma contains solids 100 g. and moisture approx. 200 m. 300 g.
Purified Water 200 m.
Strong Alcohol 635 m.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x contain one part Mother Tincture, three parts Purified Water and six parts Strong Alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Stramonium closely resembles belladonna in its action on the central nervous system, and on the peripheral nerves; it has a more marked effect on the heart, which soon becomes irregular under its influence. Relaxation of the muscular coat of the bronchi is a very striking result, and it is much used as an antispasmodic in asthma and, in combination with dature, tatula, lobelia &c., forms a useful palliative on antipathic principles. For this purpose it is ......
used in cigarettes, or the powder is burnt and the smoke inhaled. In this sphere the "dual action" of the drug is acknowledged even by non-homoeopathic authorities.
The gross effects of the poison are furious delirium, amounting to violent mania; and irritation of the throat inflammation and muscular spasm-and of the skin. The stage of excitement is followed by stupor and general paralysis. In one fatal case symptoms like hydrophobia, coupled with marked hyperaemia of pharynx, oesophagus and larynx, with redness and swelling of the vocal cords occurred.
Mild poisonings and the provings enable one to classify the mental symptoms somewhat as follows :-
Symptoms of Excitement or Stimulation; Symptoms of Depression; Hallucinations.
It is not suggested that these symptoms occur in "water-tight compartments". While there is a certain progression or sequence, due to varying susceptibility of different tissues or to the dose of the poison, the excitement group preceding depression, some features of each group may coincide. This is especially shown in the persistence of some of the evidence of excitement into the stage of depression. Hallucinations may belong to either group or stage.
SULPHUR (Sulph.)
Chemical Symbol S Atomic Wt. 32.07
Description : A fine, yellow, slightly gritty powder, odour faint and not unpleasant, tasteless. Burns with a blue flame with the production of sulphur dioxide. It is almost insoluble to water and in alcohol; incompletely soluble in carbone disulphide. Sublimed sulphur may be prepared from native sulphur or from sulphides.
Identification : At about 115* it melts to a yellow mobile liquid which becomes dark and viscid on further heating at about 160*.
Macroscopical appearance : Consists chiefly of almost opaque, rounded amorphous particles or aggregates, sometimes associated with semi-crystalline masses.
Arsenic : Not more than 2 parts per million.
Acidity : Thoroughly agitate 2g with freshly boiled and cooled water, and titrate with 0C1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of phenolphthalein as indicator, not more than 1 ml is required.
Sulphated ash : Not more than 0.2 per cent.
Matter insoluble in carbon disulphide : Agitate 1g. with 20 ml of carbon disulphide and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Filter wash the residue with carbon disulphide and dry, the residue weighs not more than 0.2 g.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Sulphur in fine powder 100 g. Saccharum lactis 900 g. To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol. c) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/5000.
Sulphur in fine powder 0.2g. Strong Alcohol 1000 ml. To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
o.2 g. of sulphur is added to 1000 ml of Strong Alcohol and allowed to remain in a well stoppered bottle for at least 48 hours, the bottle being shaken twice a day. The tincture is then poured off and filtered.
d) Potencies : 4x to contain five parts of tincture and five parts of strong Alcohol. 5x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Sulphur is an element that is widely distributed in Nature and enters into the composition of nearly every fluid and tissue of the body.
Sulphur has an ability to stimulate the patients natural reactive powers with the improvements of his general condition.
It is a mild laxative and a diaphoretic, in full doses it is an irritant to the stomach and intestines. It increases the secretion of the intestinal glands and promote peristaltic action. Repeated infection causing tremors and great debility.
It is eliminated through the skin, producing roughness and exfoliation vesicular, eczematous dermatitis and other forms of eruptions.
Symptoms of poisoning are those of asphyxia and muscular tremors, followed by convulsion and death.
The action of Sulphur is deep and long-lasting.
Standard for Finished Product : HPI
Trituration In 1x potency contains not less than 9.50 Percent to not more than 10.50 Percent of the drug. In 2x Potency contains not less than 0.950 Percent to not less than 1.05 Percent of the drug.
In 3x potency, contains not less than 0.95 Percent to not more than 0.105 Percent of the drug.
TARENTULA HISPANA (Tarent h)
Zoological Name : Tarentula hispana Family : Lycosidae
Description : Body stout, 3.8 cm to 5.1 cm long, colour greyish brown on upper surface and deep saffron yellow on the under surface with a transverse black band. A hairy spider, with six eyes and several pairs of legs, the third pair particularly being the shortest. The margin of the thorax grey, with a radiated dorsal line of the anterior part of the dorsum, marked with triangular spots. This poison of male and female are identical. According to Dr. Mariano de la Paz Graells Pardo, Spain the spider is most poisonous in the month of July.
Part Used : The entire spider.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Tarentula Hispana 100 g.
Purified Water 300 ml.
Glycerin 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 m. To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture. Crush the live spider and macerate according to the method described. b) Potencies : 2x contain one part Mother Tincture, four parts Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol. 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol c) Trituration 2x and higher in accordance with the method described. d) Potency : 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS (Thuja)
Bot.Name : Thuja occidentalis Linn. Family : Cupressaceae
Description : A tall tree up to 20 meters in height, with light red brown bark, horizontal branches ascending at the end: Leaves acute, apiculate, usually conspicuously glandular bright green above and yellowish green beneath. Flowers minute, solitary, terminal, the sexes commonly on different branchlets, staminate flowers yellow, of 6-12 decussate stamens : pistillate flowers with 8-12 scales in opposite pairs. Cones 12 mm long, brownish yellow, with 8-10 woody scales, 4 of which fertile; seeds winged.
Distribution : United States; found in swamps and on cool rocky banks.
Part Used : Leaves and Twigs.
Macroscopical : Twigs entire or broken fan-shaped, flattened bearing 4 rows of appressed, scale-like leaves, all bearing glands on back, odour balsamic aromatic, taste camphoraceous, turpentine-like and bitter.
Microscopical : The power of leaves-greenish to brownish green, fragments of chlorenchyma, fragments of epidermis with broadly elliptical stomata from 25 u to 40 u in length, the guard cells having lignified walls, numerous thick-walled lignified fibres with simple oblique pores.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10
Thuja occidentalis in dry
coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 135 ml.
Strong Alcohol 885 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture. b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
History : Thuja is a quick waste alteration of `thuja' meaning `sacrifice'. The wood was used for sacrifice.
Constituents and Action : Thuja is the principal, `antisycotic' Thuja contains an oil of thuja, a thujol, flavone glycoside thuj- in and an acid called thujetic acid.
It contains glucoside Thujin occuring in green part of the plant: Thujetin, when heated with a dilute mineral acid breaks down with glucose; Thujenin when heated with hydrochloric acid breaking down with another crystalline body having one H20 less than Thujetin. Thujetic acid formed by dissolving Thujin in baryta water; Pinipicrin a glucoside extracted from young leafy branchlets as well as heads of Pinus Sylvestris; a colorless or a greenish yellow volatile oil, oil of Thuja.
Thuja acts principally on the mucous membrane of mouth, upper respiratory tract, urethra, genital organ, and on the skin. It also affects the nerves causing stitching, drawing or tearing pains in all parts of the body.
Standard for Finished Product : HPI
Thuja occidentalis : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 80.0 to 84.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 4.6 to 6.5
Sp. gr. : 0.830 to 0.865
Total Solids : Not less than 80 Percent w/v
/\ max : 260 and 325 nm.
Identification : Colour reaction :
1. Dilute 1 ml tincture with 2 ml methanol. Add. a few drops of resorcin hydrochloric acid, and after heating and on keeping for a long time, a stable wine colour to cherry red colour results.
2. Carryout the TLC chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase under uv light eight spots appear at Rf = 0.05, 0.12, 0.22 (Red) 0.37 (Blue), 0.47, 0.68, 0.84 and 0.93 (all red)
With Antimony trichloride reagent the spots appear at Rf 015 (violet) 0.87 (brown) 0.92 (brown).
VERATRUM ALBUM (Vert. Alb.)
Bot. Name : Veratrum album Linn. Family : Liliaceae.
Description : A perennial deciduous herb with an erect rhizome frequently dividing into 2-3 branches. Stem, 1-5 m high, round, fistular, almost covered by sheathing leaf bases downy above Leaves, plaited broad, ovate, acute or rather blunt, glabrous above and downy beneath, and provided with numerous nerves. Flowers, light-yellow or yellowish-white, in erect panicled racemes, appearing during June-August. Odour offensive from roots, taste bitter, extremely acrid and poisonous.
Part Used : Rhizome.
Macroscopical : Rhizome, 5 cm long, 2 cm in diameter, dull black, rough and wrinkled externally, with the remains of numerous concentrically arranged leaf-base at the upper part, and root-scars containing a distinct slender xylem in the centre. Rootlets, numerous, completely enveloping the rhizome, dull grey or yellowish, and shrivelled longitudinally. Lower extremely of the rhizome bluntly conical or truncate.
Microscopical : Rhizome: epidermis with reddish-brown to yellowish-orange cork-like cells. Cortex moderately broad, containing spherical or ellipsoidal starch grains, and some with raphides of calcium oxalate, upto 60u in length. Root-trace bundles, without cambium, present in the cortex at some places. Endodermis waxy, two layered, with somewhat lignified cells, considerably thickened at the inner and radial walls, having U- shaped lumen in the horizontal plane; traversed at some places by root-trace bundles. Stele, a broad parenchymatous zone with cells resembling the cortex and fibro-vascular bundles arranged in irregular interrupted circles. Sometimes, tracheae possess sclariform thickenings. Rootlets, epidermis with more or less quadrangular cells possessing thickened outer radial walls. Hypodermis, one layered with more or less compressed cells beneath with are present 2-3 layers of collenchyma. Aerenchyma with a large irregular spaces surrounded by parenchyma cells in the outer cortex. Cortical parenchyma, a broad zone of spherical cells, becoming smaller towards the central cylinder, mostly containing spherical or ellipsoidal starch grains, and a few cells also containing raphides of calcium oxalate. Endodermis with cells possessing considerably thickened radial and inner- walls and a U-shaped lumen. Pith, small, central zone of thick- walled cells containing crystals of calcium oxalate and starch grains.
Distribution : Middle and southern Europe, Russia, China and Japan.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Veratrum Album, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration 1x. Drug strength 1/10
Veratrum Album, in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
d) Potencies : 1x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
The active principal of veratrum album is an alkaloid called proto-veratrine, C32 H51 NO11, the alkaloid of veratrum viride being veratrine C32 H49 NO9. Though much alike in their physiological action there are important differences between them, as veratrine, unlike proto-veratrin, paralysis the terminations of the motor nerves and also has a characteristic effect on striated muscular fibre, in that if a muscle is stimulated after the application to it of veratrine it contracts as rapidly as usual, but its contraction is greatly prolonged; the period necessary for its relaxation to be completed as twenty to thirty times that of unpoisoned muscle and the whole contraction lasts from five to ten seconds. Consequently resistance is offered to the contraction of opposing muscle and movements of co-ordination cannot be properly performed, so that locomotion and other movements are slow and awkward. With these exceptions the action of the two alkaloids seems to be very much alike.
The symptoms of veratrine commence with pricking and burning in the mouth tongue and throat, on which follow marked salivation, nausea, warmth in the stomach vomiting. Violent purging with severe colic occurs. the pricking sensation spreads to the skin and profuse perspirations ensues. The pulse becomes slow and irregular, the respiration is slow and laboured. The muscles exhibit fibrillary contractions and convulsions come on. Collapse follows, with subsequent unconsciousness, and finally, failure of the respiration.
Applied locally, veratrine, like aconitine, stimulates the terminations of sensory nerves and causes a warm, pricking sensation. The stimulant effect is followed by diminution of sensitiveness and a feeling of cold and numbness. Protoveratrine causes less irritation but more complete anaesthesia than veratrine. The local action of small quantities on the nose and throat is to produce violent sneezing and coughing.
The nausea, vomiting and purging caused by the alkaloid are due to its influence on the nervous system, for it causes no sign of irritation or inflammation of the alimentary tract. Likewise the perspiration and probably to a large extent the salivation are due to nervous influence. The circulatory symptoms arise from stimulation of the medullary centres, viz., of the cardiac inhibitory centre, which causes slowing of the heart and decreases the output, and of the vasomotor centre, which contracts the peripheral blood-vessels. Larger quantities paralyze the terminations of the vagus and at the same time depress the vasomotor centre, the pulse then becomes quicker and the blood pressure is lowered. The central nervous system is stimulated at first and then paralyzed. The cord and medulla are more affected than the higher centres, for complete consciousness usually remains almost to the last moment. Death is due to paralysis of the respiratory centre, as is the case with aconitine.
VERATRUM VIRIDE
Bot. Name : Veratrum Virde Ait. Family : Liliaceae
Description : A perennial herb with coarse, thick fleshy rhizomes, more or less horizontal, with numerous white rootlets on the lower part, having a strong, unpleasant odour when fresh, nearly odourless when dried. Stem up to 1.1/3 meter high stout erect, simple, leafy to the top, striated and pubescent; leaves 3, ranked, broadly oval, strongly plated sheath clasping, acuminate; the lower leaves 15-30 cm long, curly; decreasing in size upwards to mere lanceolate bracts. Flowers polygamous, yellowish green on pedicles much shorter than the bracts, in dense, spreading, spike, like racemes on roundish, downy- peduncles, composing a terminal pyramidal panicle.
Habitat : Indigenous to North America from Canada to Gorgia in U.S.A.
Part Used : Rhizome.
Macroscopical : Rhizome about 5 to 8 cm long, to 3.5 cm wide, sub-cylindrical and obconical below, and crowned with the remains of concentrically arranged leaf-bases cut off level with the top of rhizome; grey and rough, and enveloped with very numerous stout, yellowish-brown, transversely shrivelled roots, or showing root scars; taste bitter and acrid.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Veratrum viride in coarse powder 100 g. Purified Water 233 ml. Strong Alcohol 800 ml. To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Veratrum : Mother Tincture Viride
Alcohol content : 72.0 to 76.0 per cent v/v
Sp. gr. : From 0.860 to 0.900
pH : Between 6.2 to 6.8
Total solids : Not less than 0.65 per cent w/v
/\ max : 264 and 320 nm
Identification : Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform : methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. With Dragendorff's reagent three long spots appear at Rf. 0.5 to 0.21, 0.25 to 0.35 and 0.41 to 0.47 or Evaporate 20 ml mother tincture on water bath to remove alcohol. Make it alkaline with ammonia solution and extract the aqueous part with 3x20 ml chloroform, concentrate the chloroform extract to 2 ml and carryout CO- TLC with Veratrine using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragendorff's reagent for spray. Spot corresponding to Veratrine appears.
ZINCUM METALLICUM
Chemical Symbol : Zn At. Wt. 65.37
Description : A bluish white metal having a crystalline structure or a fine grey powder, free from all but small aggregates. Soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid or dilute sulphuric acid. Contains not less than 90.0 per cent Zn.
Identification : Fields reactions characteristic of zinc.
Assay : Shake 1g accurately weighed, with a solution of 25g ferric ammonium sulphate in 100 ml of water, in a vessel from which the air has been displaced by carbon dioxide, until the Zinc is completely dissolved. Add. 100 ml of dilute sulphuric acid, dilute to 500 ml with water, and titrate 50 ml of this solution with 0.1 N potassium permanganate. Each ml of 0.1N potassium permanganate is equivalent to 0.003269 g of Zn.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Zincum metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
The primary action of zinc is on spinal cord causing twisting and jerking of muscles, trembling, nervous exhaustion and defective reaction.
Standard for Finished Product :
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.0 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Zn. Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Zincum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of Zn.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g. char it in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with ash as given in assay method given Zincum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.094 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w of Zn.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with the ash as given in the assay method under Zincum Metallicum.
Colour test : 0.15 mother substances is dissolved in 4 ml dilute hydrochloric acid and diluted with water to 10 ml use this solution for test.
For spot test mix 2 drops of 5 Percent resorcin solution with two drops of liquid ammonia (25 Percent) then add 2/3 drops of Zinc solution. After sometime blue colouration appears (Zinc).
APPENDIX
Method adopted by HPI for Trituration
The object of trituration is to reduce the dry drug to the finest possible powder. Whether a trituration is prepared manually or by a machine, the following process is adopted.
Take one part by weight of crude drug and one part by weight of Milk Sugar in coarse powder. Mix the two for a moment and then rub the mixture thoroughly for six minutes. After six minutes scrap the pestle and mortar with a spatula so that nothing adheres either to the sides of the mortar or to the pestle; stir the mixture for a total time of four minutes. Then again rub the mixture with pestle for six minutes and stir for four minutes.
Now add 3 parts by weight of Sugar of Milk and repeat the processes of rubbing and stirring two times each as described above, i.e. rubbing for six minutes and stirring for four minutes.
Then add 5 parts by weight of Sugar of Milk and repeat the processes of rubbing and stirring. At the end of this process we get 1x potency of a medicine.
It will be seen that the total quantity of Milk Sugar taken is 9 parts of weight which is divided in the proportion of 1:3:5. For the next higher potency the same process is to be employed. The trituration may also be made in the centesimal scale. i.e. in the proportion of 1:99 dividing the Sugar of Milk to 11:33:55 parts but preparation in this scale upto 4x potency is not recommended as it may be found difficult to bring the crude drugs in the desired state of fineness. To increase the quantity of trituration without modifying other conditions is bound to result in inferior preparation and therefore, inadvisable. But as the demand for homoeopathic medicine has extensively increased all over the world and the pharmacists have to supply them on a large commercial scale, new mechanical devices for trituration greater quantity have to be employed. It is not feasible to give strict rules for such mechanical appliances in all their interdependent details.
All insoluble substances are submitted to this process of trituration and as it is carried on as far as the third centesimal potency (or 6th decimal potency) it follows that this thorough rubbing and stirring is continued until the medicine constitutes only the one-millionth part of the mixture.
ACIDUM NITRICUM (Ac. nit.)
Chemical Symbol -HNO3 Mo1. Wt. 63.013
Description- A fuming liquid and very caustic. Has a characteristic, highly irritating odour. It is miscible with water and dilute alcohol in all proportions. Its specific gravity is 1.41. It boils at 120*-. It is prepared by oxidation of ammonia with air in the presence of platinum as catalyst. It attacks most metals evolving brown fumes. Contains not less than 69 per cent and not more than 71 per cent w/w of HNO3.
Identification- i) It is strongly acidic even when freely diluted with water.
ii) When neutralized, it responds to the reactions characteristic of nitrates.
Arsenic- Not more than 5 parts per million.
Copper & Zinc- Dilute 1 ml. with 20 ml. of water and add a slight excess of dilute solution of ammonia; a blue colour is not produced. Into this mixture pass hydrogen sulphide -a precipitate is not produced.
Chloride - 5 ml. neutralized with dilute ammonia solution- complies with the limit test for chlorides.
Lead- Not more than 2 parts per million.
Iron- 0.5 ml. complies with the limit test for iron.
Sulphate- To 2.5 ml., add 10 mg. of sodium bicarbonate and evaporate to dryness on a water bath; the residue dissolved in water complies with the limit test for sulphates.
Non-Volatile matter- Not more than 0.01 per cent w/w.
Assay- Weigh accurately about 4g. into a stoppered flask, containing 40 ml. of water, and titrate with 1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of methyl orange as indicator. Each ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.06301 g. of HNO3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Acidum Nitricum 141g.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies -2x and 3x with purified water, to be freshly made for immediate use only. 4x and 5x with dilute alcohol, 6x and above with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class Va
Storage- The preparations of this acid up to 3x potency are to be stored in well-closed containers with glass stoppers.
Action- It is a corrosive acid- but it is safer than Sulphuric Acid, as if does not diffuse so readily in the tissues. It stains the skin and tissues a bright yellow or yellow brown colour.
Principal action is on mucous membranes and effects mucocutaneous junctions of orifices.
The mouth and the gums are covered with ulcerations, which bleed on touch.
It causes dysenteric inflammations of the large intestine- causing tenesmus, bloody evacuations with pain. protruding haemorrhoids which crack and bleed. Very sore on touch.
In the respiratory sphere there is passive epistaxis of dark blood.
In the urinary sphere there is burning pain in the bladder, there is frequent desire to pass urine and scalding pain. But the urine is scanty and of strong hippuric odour.
It has been found to be an antidote to the poison of Mercury in conjunction with Syphilis. It both supplements and antidotes mercury.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Potency : :1x
Colourless liquid, odour characteristic, irritating. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent v/v to not more than 10.50 per cent v/v of HNO3
Reaction :Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Acidum Nitricum.
Potency : 3x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent v/v to not more than 0.105 per cent v/v of HNO3
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 40 g into a stoppered flask and titrate with 0.1N sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml of 0.1N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0,00603 g of HNO3
ACIDUM PHOSPHORICUM (Ac. Phos.)
Chemical symbol - H3 PO4 Mol. Wt. 97. 995
Description-A colourless odourless liquid of a syrupy consistency. At about 200* c. the acid gradually changes to pyrophosphoric acid, and at higher temperature it passes into metaphosphoric acid. It is miscible with water or alcohol with the evolution of heat. Its specific gravity is 1.71. It may be obtained by the oxidation of phosphorus in contact with water. Contains not less than 88 per cent and not more than 90.0 per cent w/w of H3 PO4.
Identification - (i) It is strongly acidic even when freely diluted with water.
(ii) When carefully neutralized with potassium hydroxide test solution of silver nitrate added, a characteristic yellow precipitate, soluble in ammonium hydroxide, is formed.
Arsenic.- Not more than 5 parts per million.
Aluminium & Calcium- 1 ml. diluted with 10 ml. of water gives no precipitate when made alkaline with dilute solution of ammonia.
Lead- Not more than 10 parts per million.
Iron Chloride and Sulphate- Complies with the limit tests for Iron, Chlorides and Sulphates.
Phosphorus and Hypo-Phosphoric acid- 0.05 ml. diluted with 10 ml. of water, does not become brown on warming with a solution of silver nitrate.
Assay -Mix about 1.5, accurately weighed with a solution of 10g. of sodium chloride in 30ml. of water, and titrate with 1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.04900 g. of H3 PO4.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Acidum Phosphoricum 118 g.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies - 2x and 3x with Purified Water to be freshly made for their immediate use only. 4x and 5x with dilute alcohol, 6x and above will be prepared in dispensing alcohol.
Old Method -Class VB
Action - It is less corrosive and irritant than the other mineral acids but in large concentrated doses may cause gastro- enteritis.
It has principal action on nervous system and causes extreme debility without erethism of the mind before the body.
Debility is more marked in the sexual sphere in both males and females.
Haemorrhages of Phosphoric Acid are dark, profuse and passive.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Potency :1x
Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent v/v to not more than 10.50 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction :Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Acidum PHOSPHORICUM.
Potency : 2x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/v to not more than 1.05 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Acidum Phosphoricum.
Potency : 3x Colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/v to not more than 0.195 per cent w/v of H3 PO4
Reaction : Acidic to litmus.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 25 g into stoppered flask, containing about 0.5 g sodium chloride and titrate with 0.1N sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as indicator. Each ml of 0.1N sodium hydroxide is equivalent to 0.00049 g of H3PO4
ACONITUM NAPELLUS (Acon. nap.)
Bot. Name- Aconitum napellus Linn. Family-Ranunculaceae.
History - The name Aconite is derived from Aconis, a city in Bithynia in Asia Minor; also from Acon meaning dart, as the darts were poisoned with Aconite.
It is also suggested that it is derived from a Greek work Aconitum meaning without soil. This plant grows on a stony ground. Napellus is from a Latin word meaning Little turnip. It refers to the shape of the root.
Storch (Baron Stoerck) a Viennese physician introduced it to medicine in 1762. Hahnemann introduced this to homoeopathic therapeutics in 1805.
Description- A perennial herb having perpendicular, taperous roots. The stem is upright, round, smooth and slightly hairy above and grows up to the height of 2 meters.
The leaves are alternate long-stalked, hairy on the under surface. They are palmately lobed, the lower more deeply than the upper, into three or five segments which are again divided.
The flowers are of dark-violet colour and appear from May to July. They are stalked and racemose radial, the two lateral are roundish and hairy internally, the lower two are oblong oval.
Macroscopical- The roots are tuberous and are either single or in clusters of two or more, the younger, smoother root or roots being connected with the older, deeply wrinkled roots by means of side branch or branches. Each root is obconical, usually from 4-10 cm. and 1-3-5 cm. wide at the crown, to which is attached the base of an aerial stem or the remains of the bud with numerous thin wiry rootlets. The scars left by these old roots are brown and the young roots are yellowish white internally. The external surface is dark brown.
Microscopical-Near the tip of the root, cross sections show diarch radial bundles and gradually upwards these become successively tetrarch, pentarch and occasionally octarch. The root cortex consist of a narrow region bounded externally by a metaderm of about 1-4 layers of brownish cells. Cortical cells are pitted cellulosic parenchyma. The endodermis consists of brownish, longitudinally elongated rectangular cells enclosing a pericycle of about 1-20 layers of parenchyma cells. Scleroids are occasionally present in cortex and pericycle. Five to eight bundles of primary phloem alternating with the angles of cambium lie within the pericycle. The metaphloem is a broad band of parenchyma cells, densely packed with starch grains, both simple and compound, 2 to 6 to 15-20 microns in diameter.
Numerous islets of sieve tissue are embedded in this region. Cambium in the upper part of the root, stellate in transverse section consist of rectangular prismatic cells enclosing at each angle a wedge-shaped group of parenchymatous medullary ray cells, on the inner margin of which is a small primary xylem, containing spiral vessels. The wedge flanked on either side of a small group of secondary xylem consists mainly of reticulate and pitted vessels; additional groups of secondary xylem are distributed along with cambium. The medullary rays are indistinct and the pith consists of cellulosic parenchyma.
Distribution-It is found in wet, shady places in mountainous regions at high altitudes. It is found in western Himalayas, at 3,500 m. in Central and Southern Europe and Siberia. It is also found in mountainous ranges of the Pacific coast of America.
Part Used- The whole plant. Moisture contents of fresh plant 350 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Aconite Napellus in a coarse Powder 100g. Purified Water 350 ml.
Strong Alcohol 683 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies - 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class I and II.
Constituents and Action - The active principle is mostly obtained from roots- alkaloid Aconitine. It decreases in its quantity above 600 mts height.
The action of this principal alkaloid and other constituents present in the drug is quite complex.
Massive doses rapidly produce paralysis of the cardiac and respiratory centres, causing death.
Smaller but still fatal quantities: Induce death, preceded by irregular, slow pulse, laboured breathing, cyanosis, Arrhythmia passes on to fibrillation.
In still smaller amounts: Burning in mouth, throat, wind pipe, pricking and ticking sensations, soon to be replaced by numbness and loss of sensation; the temperature is lowered substantially. However, it should not be used as an antipyretic.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
Aconite : Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 61.0 to 65.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.5 to 7.0
Sp.gr. : : From 0.896 to 0.904
Total solids : Not less than 0.5 Percent w/w
/\ max. : 285nM
Identification : (a) Colour Test Take one drop of Mt on filter paper and dry. Place one drop of acetic anhydride on the spot and dry again. Examine under uv light.
Greenish Blue fluorescence is produced (b) Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract of the drug using Chloroform methanol 9:1 v/v as mobile phase under uv light. Four spots at Rf 0.08, 0.29, 0.39 and 0.63 appear. On spraying with Dragendorff's reagent two spots appear at 0.08 and 0.16 (orange).
AGARICUS MUSCARIUS (Agar.m.)
Bot. Name - Amanita muscarius Linn. Family- Agaricaceae
Description-The pileus is 7 to 13 cm. broad, globose at first, then dumbbell in shape, convex, then expanded, nearly flat with age; margin slightly striate; the surface of the cap is covered with white fluccose scales, fragments of the volva. These scales can be easily removed. The colour of the young plant is usually red, then orange to pale yellow; later in the old pants, if fades to almost white. The flesh is white, sometimes stained yellow close to the cuticle. The gills are pure white, very symmetrical, various in length, the shorter ones terminating under the cap very abruptly, crowded, free but reaching the stem decurrent in the form of lines somewhat broader in form. Sometimes a slight tinge of yellow can be seen in the gills; the stem is white, often yellowish with age, pithy and often hollow, becoming rough and shaggy, finally scaly. The veil covers the gills in the young plant and later is seen as a collar like ring on the stem. The spores are white and broadly elliptical.
Distribution-It is found in dry pine and birch forests in Northern Europe, Asia and America, abundant in pine woods in some parts of Scotland and sandy deserts in Asia.
Part Used - The whole young fungus except the outer skin.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Agaricus Muscarius in coarse powder. 100g.
Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies -2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class III.
Constituents and Action - It contains several toxic compounds but the most important one is Muscarin. Its effect is slow and gradual, developing over a period of 10 to 12 hours. It acts as an intoxicant to the brain, producing vertigo and delirium, followed by profound sopor. It lowers the reflexes; the symptoms are caused by excitement and not by the congestion of the brain.
Standard for finished product:
Agaricus : Mother tincture Muscarius
Alcohol content : 40.0 to 45.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 and 5.5
Sp. gr. : : From 0.926 to 0.925
Total solids : Not less than 0.28 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 280, 320 nm
Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol, acetic acid and water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase.
In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf 0.40 and 0.94 correspond to muscarine.
Chemical Symbol : K (SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O Mol. Wt. 33.032
Description - A colourless, transparent crystal or a white granular, odourless powder, having a sweet, metallic taste. The crystals effloresce upon exposure to air. It is soluble in 12 parts of water and in 3 parts of boiling water; insoluble in alcohol. Its aqueous solution is slightly acidic. It may be prepared by dissolving a mixture of 10 parts of potassium bitartrate with 8 parts of antimony trioxide in 75 parts of boiling water, filtering while hot and allowing it to crystallize. Contains not less than 99 per cent of K(SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O.
Identification- Aqueous solution responds to the tests characteristic of antimony and of tartarates.
An acidic solution gives orange red precipitates with hydrogen.
Arsenic : Not more than 10 parts per million.
Lead : Not more than 5 parts per million.
Assay- Dissolve about 0.5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. of water, add about 2 g. of sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.1 N iodine using mucilage of starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.01670 g. of K(SbO) C 4 H 4 O 6 2H2O.
Preparation - (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Antimonium Tartaricum in crystals 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x method described in the text . (x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Action.- It is an irritant and depressant. When applied to skin it produces a papular eruption- which becomes pustular with central umbilication.
Small doses taken internally causes nausea increase of saliva, gastric and intestinal juices and mucus in the bronchus.
Large doses produce vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps in the epigastrium; depress heart action with consequent fall of blood pressure,low body temperature; cause paralysis of both motor and sensory centres and diminish reflex excitability.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder contains not less than 9.40 Percent, w/w to not more than 10.40 Percent w/w of K(Sbo)C 4 H 4 O 6.2H2O.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Antimonium Tartaricum.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.94 Percent w/w to not more than 1.04 Percent w/w of K(Sbo) C 4 H 4 O 6.2H2O.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Antimonium Tartaricum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contain not less than 0.094 Percent w/w to not more than 0.104 Percent w/w of K(Sbo) C 4 H 4 O6.2H2O.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g, char it in silica crucible and dissolve the ash in 25 ml. of water, add about 2 g of Sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.01N Iodine using Starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.01N Iodine = 0.00167 g. of K(Sbo) C 4 H4 O6.2H2O
APIS MELLIFICA (Apis. mel.)
Zool. Name : Apis mellifica Order Family - Apidae Hymenoptera
Description- Under apidae there are three general groups; melipona (stingless bees), bombus (bumble bees) and the Apis (honey bees). The genus Apis is of European origin and is widely distributed throughout the civilized world. A swarm of bees consists of queen bee, several hundred drones and ten thousand or more workers. The queen bees are the only perfectly developed females. The drones are males the workers females. The bees have three parts of body which are well separated by constrictions. The head carries the eyes, antennae, and mouth parts; the thorax, the wings and legs; the abdomen, the wax glands and sting. The bees are hairy which are branched or feathery. The eyes of the male are united above, the mouth part is nearly aborted and the hind legs are smooth. There are two paraglosae on the lingula in the female and the maxillary palpi are one-jointed. The shorter abdomen of the female marks the external difference from the male. This species is without terminal spurs on the hind legs. Only queens and workers have poison.
Distribution - India and also in other parts of the world.
Part Used - The live bees.
Preparation- Place live bees in a clean, wide-mouthed container, preferably of glass. After irritating them by shaking, the menstruum should be poured in, and the whole allowed to macerate for ten days, being shaken twice daily. The resulting tincture should be poured off and filtered. The bees should not be pressed. The drug strength of the tincture varies, depending on the season of the year when the bees are secured. When they are dormant, their poisons are supposed to be less virulent.
(a) Mother Tincture Drugs Strength 1/10 Apis Mellifica, moist magma containing solids 100 g, moisture 150 ml. 250 g.
Glycerin 225 ml.
Purified Water 225 ml.
Strong Alcohol 425 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies - 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water, five parts strong alcohol, 3x with dilute alcohol, 4x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class IV.
Caution - Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constituents and Action- The honey bee poison is a toxalbumin and its effects are similar to those of other animal poisons, such as the toxalbumins of snakes, spiders, lizards, etc.
The effect of the sting is concentrated on the nervous centres and the skin. The action is extremely rapid.
The sensorium gets depressed to a point of drowsiness, even to unconsciousness.
It acts on cellular tissues, causing oedema of skin and mucous membranes.
There is acute inflammation of kidneys and other parenchymatous tissues. It produces serous inflammation with effusion, membranes of brain, heart and pleura.
Standard for finished product :(HPI) Apis Mellifica : Mother tincture Alcohol content : 37.0 to 41.0 Percent v/v pH : Between 5.0 to 5.8 Sp. gr. : From 0.893 to 0.998 /\ max. : 264 nm Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n- butanol-acetic acid-water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase:ninhydrin as spray reagent. Three spots appear at Rf 0.09, 0.21 (violet red) and 0.45 (light violet).
ARGENTUM METALLICUM (Arg. met.)
Chemical Symbol -Ag. At.Wt. 107.87.
Description - A white, brilliant, tenacious, ductile metal; tasteless and odourless. Next to gold it is the most malleable and ductile of all metals. It is insoluble in water, alcohol and in most acids; readily soluble in dilute nitric acid, and in hot sulphuric acid. Its specific gravity is 10.49. It melts at 960.50*. It does not oxidize in air, but is tarnished quickly by hydrogen sulphide. It is prepared from native silver ores.
Identification -
i) Solution in nitric acid gives a Heavy white, curdy precipitate with a solution of soluble chloride or hydrochloric acid. The precipitate is soluble in ammonium hydroxide.
ii) An ammoniacal solution, when treated with a small quantity of formaldehyde and warmed, causes the formation of a silver mirror on the walls of the test tube.
Assay - 0.32 g. accurately weighed, is dissolved in sufficient quantity of dilute nitric acid (Sp.Gr. 1.2) Titrate with 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate, using solution of ferric ammonium sulphate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate is equivalent to 0.010788 of Ag.
Caution : Inhalation of dust should be avoided.
Preparation - (a) Trituration 1x Drugs strength 1/10 Argentum Metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid, 8x and 9x and higher, with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action - It is a metal, silver.
The laboratory experiments are chiefly the result of experiments with the oxide and albuminate, sometimes injected intravenously or subcutaneously. The medullary centres are first stimulated. Blood pressure is increased, the pulse is slowed, the breathing is quickened and deepened. Later the blood pressure falls and the respiration becomes slow and laboured through stimulation of vagus; the heart continues to beat after the breathing has ceased.
In less acute poisoning there is time for bronchial contraction to develop, leading to oedema of lungs, but not of cardiac origin. The kidneys are initiated with diuresis and albuminuria. Intestinal mucosa is also involved which causes ulcerations.
In chronic poisoning the silver is deposited in the skin, the mucous and the serous membranes; the several glomeruli the connective tissue of the liver, spleen, choroid plexuses, tunica intima of aorta, and the mesenteric glands in the form of minute granules.
Standard for finished product: HPI
Potency : 1x Yellow coloured amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Ag.
Assay : Compiles with the essay method, given under Argentum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light yellow coloured amorphous powder.
Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w of Ag.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Argentum Metallicum.
ARGENTUM NITRICUM (Arg. nit.)
Chemical Symbol-AgNO3 Mol. Wt. 169.875
Description- A colourless or white crystals; odourless, having a bitter caustic, metallic taste. Soluble in 0.4 part of water, in slightly more than 0.1 part of boiling water melts at 212* into a slightly yellow liquid. It is obtained by the action of nitric acid on a silver. Silver nitrate, powdered and then dried in the dark over silica gel for four hours, contains not less than 99.8 per cent of AgNO3.
Identification - i) With sodium chloride its aqueous solution given an abundant white precipitate, soluble in ammonia.
ii) It responds to the tests characteristic of silver and of nitrates.
iii) A solution in water is clear and colourless and is neutral to litmus, Bismuth, Copper and Lead. To a solution of 1 g. in 5 ml. of water add a slight excess of dilute ammonia solution. The mixture remains clear and colourless.
Assay - Weigh accurately about 0.5 g. and dissolve in 50 ml. of water, and 2 ml. of nitric acid and titrate with 0.1 N ammonia thiocyanate, using solution of ferric ammonium sulphate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate is equivalent to 0.010699 g. of AgNo3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10
Argentum Nitricum 100 g Purified Water is sufficient quantity To make one thousand milliliters of the solution.
(b) Potencies: 2x to 4x with purified water; 5x with dilute alcohol; 6x and above with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Storage - Argentum Nitricum and its preparations up to 6x potency are to be kept in a well-closed container protected from light.
Constituents and Action - It is a nitrate of silver, and it s pathogenetic effects are described under argentum metallicum. The effects are almost the same, meaning thereby that the action is due to silver ion.
ARNICA MONTANA (Arn. Mont.)
Bot. Name - Arnica montana Linn. Family - Compositeae
History - The name Arnica is supposed to be derived from `Arnakis' meaning Lambskin, because of the woolly appearance of the leaf and `montana' from the Latin mountains, the place where it grows. It was introduced by Hahnemann in Homoeopathic practice in 1805.
Diagram Arnica Montana
Description - A perennial herb with a creeping, slender, blackish rhizome, 2.5 cms. long and 5 mm. in thickness, giving from its sides and under surface numerous dark, brittle, wiry, curved and twisted roots, about 8 cm. in length; and the scars of cataphyllary leaves render the surface of the rhizome, which is in addition longitudinally shrivelled, distinctly rough. Stem: 25-30. high, is erect, pubescent, rough, striated, either simple or with one pair of opposite branches. Leaves : 10-20 cm. long, are few, entire, sessile opposite, abovate; radical ones crowded at he base, the upper smaller than the rest. The heads : 5-6 cm. wide, are large and solitary at the summit of the stem and lateral branches. The involucre is cylindrical, dull green, with purplish points and hairy. The ligulate florets are in single row of sixteen to twenty; calyx represented by a pappus of numerous each of which is four to five cells in diameter and minutely denticulate on the surface; strap of the corolla about 2 to 3 cm. long and 3 to 5 mm. wide, with three acute teeth at the apex and 7 to 9 veins, sometimes four to five teeth and up to fifteen veins; stamens absent; ovary inferior 5.5 to 7.5 mm. long five-ribbed unilocular, the wall bearing numerous appressed twin trichomes, each composed of two cells which diverge at the tips; style filiform, stigma bifid and spreading.
Tubular florets have a regular, five-toothed, yellow, tubular corolla about 7 to 8 mm. long; five epipetalous stamens with syngenesious anthers; pappus and ovary as in ligulate florets. The drug as a whole has faint but rather agreeable apple-like odour and a bitter acrid taste. Flowers too have pleasant, sweet and aromatic odour and bitter, acrid taste.
Macroscopical - The smoothed transverse surface of the rhizome shows as externally thin layer of brown cork, a fairly wide, whitish cortex, in the inner layers of which is a circle of dark resin ducts; a circle of about twenty vascular bundles having a yellowish xylem and separated by fairly wide, medullary rays; and a large, whitish central pith.
Distribution - Most, upland meadows of the cooler parts of Europe, hills in Central Europe. It extends through Russia to Siberia. It is also found sparsely in the north-western part of the U. S. A.
Part used - Whole plant.
Preparation - (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Arnica Montana in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml Strong Alcohol 635 ml To make one thousand milliliters of the tinctures.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water, six parts of strong alcohol; 3x and higher, with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class III.
Constituents and action -Rhizome and flowers contain 0.5 to 1 Percent volatile oil, arnicin, arnisterol (arnidiol), anthoxanthin, Lannin, resin.
Flowerheads 0.1 Percent choline, arnidendiol, alloarnidendiol and a petroleum ether soluble fraction arnicin.
They contain a flavone, an adrenaline-like pressor substance, a cardiotonic substance. Flavone causes a fall in blood pressure.
Arnica is irritant, depressant antipyretic, diuretic and vulnerary. It initiates the gastro-intestinal tract. Small doses internally increase the action of the heart, raise arterial tension and stimulate the action of the skin and kidneys.
In large doses it produces transient excitement, followed by depression of the circulation, respiration and nerve centres. IT produces headache, unconsciousness, convulsions with lowering body temperature, dilatation of pupils and muscular paresis.
It is a popular for external use in bruises, sprains, etc. It acts on various capillaries as absorbents and the terminal ends of sensory and vasomotor nerves, cardio-inhibitory centre.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Arnica Montana : Mother tincture
Alcohol Content : 57.0 to 60.1 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.6 to 5.8
Sp. gr. : From 0.907 to 0.913
Total Solids : Not less than 0.85 Percent w/v
/\ max : 284 and 378 nM
Identification : (a) Colour test: To one ml. of mother tincture add 0.2 ml. of Ferric chloride solution.
Green colour develops.
b) Carry out TLC of chloroform extract of mother tincture using chloroform ethanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and antimony trichloride reagent as spray reagent. Under uv light three spots appear at Rf 0.07, 0.66 and 0.84. With spray reagent two spots appear at Rf 0.29 and 0.94 (both violet).
ARSENICUM ALBUM (Ars. alb.)
Chemical Symbol - As2O3 Mol. Wt. 197.841
Description - A white or transparent amorphous lump or crystalline powder, odourless, stable in air, a poison. It is slowly soluble in water. The amorphous variety is more soluble than crystalline variety. It is sparingly soluble in alcohol. It is completely soluble in glycerine. It may be obtained by roasting certain arsenical ores. Arsenic trioxide, dried at 105* for two hours, contains not less than 99.8 per cent of As2O3
Identification - (i) Sublimes on heating with the formation of transparent octahedral crystals.
(ii) A small quantity warmed with about 5 ml. of hydrochloric acid, gives a brown-coloured or white precipitate on the addition of a few drops of solution of stannous chloride.
(iii) An acidified solution gives a yellow precipitate with hydrogen sulphide.
Non-volatile matter - Leaves not more than 0.1 per cent of the residue.
Assay - Dissolve about 0.2 g. accurately weighed, in about 20 ml. of boiling water and 5 ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide; cool, add 5 ml. of 1 N hydrochloric acid, followed by about 3 g. of sodium bicarbonate, and titrate the mixture with 0.1 N iodine, using starch as indicator. EAch ml. of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.004946 g. As2O3.
Preparation - (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/10 Arsenicum Album in fine powder 10 g. Glycerin 100 ml.
Strong Alcohol 100 ml.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity (about 800 ml.)
to make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
Heat fine powder of Arsenicum Album with Glycerin at 100* V until a clear solution is obtained. Cool this solution and add to it 750 ml. of Purified Water and 100 ml. of Strong Alcohol. Mix well and bring the volume to one thousand millilitres by adding Purified Water if found necessary.
(b) Potency : 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration Ic Drug Strength 1/100 Arsenicum Album is fine powder 10 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(d) Potency : 3x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method - Class VI (solution).
Caution - Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constitute and Action - It is a white oxide of Arsenic.
When small doses are taken internally it has a tonic effect on nervous system and circulation, increasing the flow of saliva, gastric and intestinal juices, stimulating peristalsis, improving digestion.
Toxic doses produce violent gastro-enteritis with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, dryness of the mouth and throat, burning in the stomach. The heart becomes irritable weak, and fatty degeneration of the heart muscles ensues.
Red blood corpuscles decrease and blood becomes less coagulable. The urine becomes scanty, albuminous and bloody. Herpetic, eczematous and urticarious eruption follows. The nervous system is profoundly affected with disorder of motor and sensory functions, and depression of respiratory centres, tremors and multiple neuritis. The poison is found in urine, saliva, tears and sweat. Fatty degeneration in general affecting kidneys, liver, stomach, heart and muscles.
Assay - Evaporate 2.0 g. of 2x; 10.0 g. of 3x dilution on water bath. The residue is dissolved in 1 ml. NaOH (15 ml. by warming. The clear solution is diluted to 50 ml. by water). Add 1 drop of p-ethoxychrysodin in hydrochloride solution and neutralize with hydrochloric acid. Add 10 ml. hydrochloric acid (additional) and titrate the solution with 0.1 N potassium bromate solution, p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride as indicator. The main quantity is made to flow in a measured quantity and at the end of the titration 0.1 ml. indicator is added (fine burette).
0.1 g. p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride is dissolved in 100 g. 60 Percent ethanol (colour change- red to yellow).
The content of As2O3 should be minimum 0.95 Percent and maximum 0.01 Percent: minimum for 2x potency 0.094 Percent and maximum 0.105 Percent.
Triturated powder for 3x potency.
Assay -Dissolve 0.3 of 1 or 2.0 g. of 3 Dec. dilution in 20 ml. water with the addition of 1 g. sodium hydrogen carbonate and 0.1 g. dried sodium carbonate, cool and dilute it to 50 ml. in measuring flask. dd to this 20 ml. solution, 30 ml. water and 1 drop of p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride solution and neutralize with hydrochloric acid. Add additional 10 ml. hydrochloric acid, and titrate the solution with 0.1 N potassium bromate solution with p-ethoxychrysodin hydrochloride solution as an indicator, in which as much quantity is allowed to flow and at the end of trituration 0.1 ml. indicator solution is added (accurate burette).
(1 ml. 0.1 N potassium bromate solution = 0.004945 As2O3). Content is calculated from the difference is reading of main consumption and blank; for 1x triturate it should be minimum 9.90 and maximum 10.1 Percent and for 2x triturate minimum 9.95 and maximum 1.01 Percent.
Potency : 2x White triturate amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of As2O3.
Assay : Compiles with the assay method given under Arsenicum Album.
Potency : 3x White triturated amorphous powder, or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w of As2O3.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. (char it in Silica crucible to ash, dissolve the ash into 20 ml.
water in case of trituration) and 5 ml. water in case of trituration) and 5 ml. of 1N Sodium hydroxide: add 5 ml 1N hydrochloric acid followed by about 3 g of sodium bicarbonate and titrate with 0.01 N iodine using starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.01 N iodine is equivalent to 0.00049 g of As2O3.
AURUM METALLICUM (Aur Met)
Chemical Symbol : Au At. Wt: 196.967
Description : A bright yellow metal; most malleable and ductile; in powdered form it is brown. It is not attacked by air or by hydrogen sulphide. Ordinary acids do not attack it; soluble in aqua regia. Its specific gravity is 19.3. It melts at 1063 and boils at about 2600. Gold generally occurs in the free state, and its commercial purification is commonly effected electrolytically.
Identification : i) With sodium hydroxide solutions of gold salts give a brown precipitate which is soluble in excess of the reagent.
ii) When treated with stannous chloride, solution of salt in aqua regia slowly forms a purple precipitate (purple of Cassius).
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10
Aurum Metallicum 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Precipitated gold is used in the preparation of the product. The pathogenesis is a combined account of metallic gold, the chloride and the double chloride of gold and sodium.
In chronic poisoning the effect is particularly seen on bony, cartilaginous and glandular tissue and on fibrous membranes and strauma.
Its action on the mind is characteristic: feels like going crazy and becoming imbecile, feels like committing suicide.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x Yellow coloured amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w/ to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Au.
Assay : Complies with the assay method, given under Aurum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light yellow coloured amorphous powder.
Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w of Au.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Aurum Metallicum.
BAPTISIA TINCTORIA (Bapt.)
Bot. Name : Baptisia tinctoria Vent. Family : Leguminoseae
History : This plant was officially used in medicine from 1830 to 1840. It somewhat resembles asparagus. The indigo was used as an antiseptic dressing when wounds were accompanied by low fever. Dr. W.L. Thompson introduced it in homoeopathic practice in 1851.
Description : An erect, perennial herb, planted as an ornamental plant, glabrous and somewhat glaucous, much branched, 1.5 m in height. Leaves palmately compound are made u of 3 leaflets, leaflets cuneate-obovate; about 1.5 cm. long; obtuse; stipules very small and caducous. Flowers bright yellow, about 1.25 cm. long, few in larger than the straight lateral petals and keel. Pod sub-globose or ovoid, 1.25 cm. or less long, with slender beak.
Macroscopical : Fleshy up to 4 cm. in thickness, usually cut into elongated cylindrical segments, the crown from 5 to 8 cm. in thickness, more or less warty and marked by stem scars; outer surface dark brown ; usually longitudinally wrinkled, transversely warty or the thicker pieces covered with soft, corky layer, fracture tough, and fractured surface whitish.
Microscopical : (powdered) - Light greyish to greyish brown, starch grains numerous, simple or 2 to 4 compound, the individual grains spheroidal, plane - convex up to 16 n.
Diagram Baptisia Tinctoria
diameter, the larger grain occasionally showing a central cleft, fragments of parenchyma, the cells of which are filled with starch, relatively few fragments of slightly lignified cork tissue, with cells being yellowish brown tracheae with slit like or bordered, pored, associated with fragments of sclerenchyma fibres that are long thick-walled, fragments of medullary rays with cells having thick lignified and porous walls and containing starch.
Distribution : Found in Southern New England and New York West-ward to Minnesota and South of Florida.
Part used 1 : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10
Baptisia tinctoria, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 333 ml.
Strong Alcohol 700 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class III.
Constituents and Action : The analysis of the root was made by Dr. Greene to obtain the alkaloid: the alkaloid was pale yellow crystals of various forms - some being perfect octahedre, the other physical or chemical properties are yet not fully known. Apart from an alkaloid it also contains a glycoside and a purgative substance.
In small doses it is a laxative; in large doses it is a violent emetic and cathartic exciting gastro intestinal inflammation.
It increases the secretion of liver and glandular appendages of the mucus membranes of the intestinal tract.
It has also a considerable power as a local as well as systemic antiseptic in obstinate and painful ulcers, threatening or existing gangrene and in gangrenous sores.
Standard for Finished product : (HPI)
Baptisia Tinctoria
Baptisia : Mother tincture Tinctoria
Alcohol content : 63.0 to 67.0 Percent v/v.
Sp. gr. : 0.880 to 0.905.
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v.
/\ max. : 250 nm.
Identification : a. Colour Tests:
1. A mixture of 1 ml. tincture with 10 ml. (45 Percent) spirit shows an intensive pale blue luminescence under UV light. After the addition of a drop of Ammonia the colour changes to bluish green. (B australis has more coloration than B tinctoria).
2. On dilution of 1 ml. tincture with 10 ml. water, produces of faint bluish fluorescence in day light.
3. Mix the solution prepared under 2 with 0.2 ml. Ferric potassium sulfate solution (5 Percent) to form first a light solution with B tinctoria, and then pale brown, pale yellow coloured. B australis forms immediately a dark reddish brown precipitate and the liquid turns brown.
4. Mix 5 ml. tincture with 10 ml. water, and extract twice with about 10 ml. ether. Treat the ether layer with 5 ml. hydrochloric acid (in 5 Percent) and wash with 10 ml. water. Mix both hydrochloric acid and water extracts together, and evaporate to dryness on a waterbath, add one drop fuming Nitric acid to the residue, which gives a reddish violet colour.
5. To 1ml. of tincture add a pinch of magnesium powder and two drops of Conc. Hydrochloric acid, a pink colour develops (HPI).
b. Carry out TLC Chloroform Extract using Methanol: ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase. Under UV light four blue spots appear at Rf:0.04, 0.14, 0.57, 0.7. With Dragendorff's reagent four spots appear at Rf 0.04, 0.37, 0.43 and 0.57.
BARYTA CARBONICA (Ba. carb.)
Chemical Symbol : BaCO3 Mol. Wt. 197.349
Description : A white heavy powder with no taste and odour. Poison. It is almost insoluble in water; readily decomposed by acids with the evolution of carbon dioxide; soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and acetic acid. Its specific gravity is 4.43. It occurs in nature as mineral witherite and is purified by precipitation. Contains not less than 98 per cent BaCO3.
Identification : i) Moistened with hydrochloric acid and heated on a platinum wire in a Bunsen flame, it imparts a green colour to the flame.
ii) Heat 1g. with 5ml. of nitric acid, cool, dilute with three times its volume of water and filter; the filtrate gives a precipitate with sulphuric acid.
Assay : Cover 4g. accurately weighed with 50ml. of water, run in 50 ml. of 1 N Hydrochloric acid. Boil, cool and titrate excess of the acid with 1N Sodium hydroxide using bromphenol blue as indicator.
Each ml of 1 N Hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 0.09868g. BaCO3.
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Baryta Carbonica 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Caution : Not to be prescribed below 3x.
Constituents and Action : The carbonate of Barium and the acetate of Barium have identical actions and can be taken together. Provings were also made by both of these compounds. Baryta muriatica has also similar action but it is slow in its pace.
Barium is the most poisonous of the alkaline earth but the effect is counter-balanced because of its slow absorption.
It has an action on the muscular tissue, stimulates both stripped and unstripped muscles.
The walls of the stomach and intestines are thrown into violent contractions which result in vomiting and purging.
When injected intravenously cause violent tonic and clonic spasms from stimulation of spinal cord and medulla; they finally paralyse the Central Nervous System. The heart is accelerated and the blood pressure markedly increases by the contraction of the muscular walls of the vessels eventually the heart beats irregularly and ceases in systole.
It is slowly absorbed from the intestines and to some extent is stored in bones.
It is excreted through urine.
Standards of Finished product : (HPI)
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.30 per cent w/w to not more than 10.30 per cent w/w of BaCO3
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Baryta Carbonica.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.93 per cent w/w to not more than 1.03 per cent w/w of BaCO3.
Assay : Take about 5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. water and..........follow the assay method given under Baryta Carbonica.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.093 per cent w/w to not more than 0.103 per cent w/w of BaCO3.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g. char in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 50 ml O.IN hydrochloric acid, boil, cool and titrate excess of acid with O.IN sodium hydroxide using bromo cresol blue as indicator. Each ml of O.IN hydrochloric acid is equivalent to 0.00987 g of BaCO3.
BELLADONNA (Bell.) Bot. Name: A large, bushy, perennial herb with a thick, fleshy, juicy, branched and spreading root. The plant is 1-1.6 meters high, cylindrical, smooth, leaves numerous, alternate below, opposite above, one larger than other, short-stalked, 7-23 cm. long, ovate, entire dark green. Flowers solitary (rarely 2 or 5 together) axillary pedicillate, drooping, pedicle as long as or longer than calyx 5 cleft, corolla bell- shaped, about 2.5 cm. long, five-lobed, dull reddish purple, tinged with pale green fruit - a berry.
Microscopical : Leaf, epidermal cells with more or less sinuous anticlinal walls and striated cuticle. Trichomes, more numerous on young leaves, simple uniseriate conical trichomes, with smooth outer walls, short clavate glandular trichomes, with uniseriate talks and cellular heads. Stomata, more numerous in the lower epidermis, of the cruciferous type. Lamina, palisade in single layer; occasionally cells of the cruciferous type.
Diagram Atropa Belladonna
Occasionally cells of the spongy parenchyma containing micro- sphenoidal crystals, palisade ration 6 to 10 mid-rib containing an arc of several collateral vascular bundles with upper supernumerary strands of phloem also with upper collenchyma. Stem : and epidermis small strands of long, thin walled, slightly lignified pericyclic fibres, and a circle of bicollateral bundles. Parenchyma of the cortex and pith interspersed with crystal cells. Root : epidermis and cortex, usually lost, cork of 6 to 8 layers of brownish quadrangular cells; phelloderm of 3 to 5 layers of radially arranged parenchymatous cells; secondary phloem containing simple rounded or angular starch grains, and forming a broad band consisting of small bundles of sieve tissue, embedded in abundant phloem parenchyma, the inner part radially arranged with numerous idioblasts containing microsphenoidal crystals of calcium oxalate. Cambiform tissue of about 5 to 8 layers of rectangular prismatic cells, secondary xylem forming the greater part of the root and consisting mainly of cellulosic xylem parenchyma, radially arranged with numerous scattered groups of about 3 to 10 vessels with associated pitted tracheids and fibres, vessels are bordered pitted; occasionally reticulate, sometimes sinuous, distinctly articulated, the segments about 50 to 145 long; interxylary phloem occasional, small scattered groups of sieve tubes; medullary rays 1 to 5 cells wide, cells near the vessels sometimes thick-walled and pitted a central solid diarch strand on primary xylem. Root-stock; periderm and phloem, similar to those of the root, sometimes with portions of parenchymatous cortex remaining externally and occasional pericyclic fibre; a broad cream coloured of yellowish xylem showing secondary growth as alternating rings of vessels, similar to those of root and much lignified xylem parenchyma with bordered pitts; perimedullary phloem with occasional slender fibres, singly or in groups of upto of about 5 outer parts of pith, parenchymatous with idioblasts containing microsphenoidal crystals of calcium oxalate; sometimes enclosing an internal periderm; inner part of pith, lacunae. With polygonal epidermal cells having straight walls and cuticular striae. Testa of the seed, white to brown with undulate ridges over anticlinal walls. Odour, slight and characteristic, taste, sweetish and slightly bitter.
Distribution : It is distributed in Central and Southern Europe. Cultivated in Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, India.
Part Used : Whole plant.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Belladonna in coarse powder 100 g Purified water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 470 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part of tincture, 4 parts of Purified water and 5 parts of strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class I.
Constituents and Action :
Belladonna owes its properties to the alkaloids it contains. They are Atropine, Hyoscyamine, and Scopalamine.
They are present in varying proportions in different specimens of the plant. Atropine is the predominant alkaloid and because of the great similarity of physiological action of all the three, Atropine and Belladonna are associated together for their pathogenesy. Small toxic doses of Belladonna cause congestion of blood, to the head and face; throbbing and bursting feelings, sensation of heat and giddiness. The conjunctiva look injected, the vision gets disturbed, accommodation is difficult and the pupils become dilated.
When larger doses are taken the symptoms are accentuated. The ability to swallow is abolished, speech becomes difficult, the pupils become so dilated that pupils disappear, accommodation is totally paralysed and often diplopia occurs. While all effectual vision is lost it is replaced by hallucinations. This active stage finally steps into depression and later into coma. Tremors occur and convulsion set in which may cause death due to failure of respiration.
All the above action is essentially a stimulation of the central nervous system followed by depression.
Standard for finished produce : (HPI)
Belladonna : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 41.0 to 45 Percent v/v
pH : Between 6.4 to 7.0
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 272 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour test : Evaporate 1 ml. of mother tincture to dryness, extract with chloroform, evaporate the chloroform extract and treat the residue to a few drops of Nitric acid and evaporate. Moisten the residue to a solution of potassium hydroxide in acetone - a violent colour is produced.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using methanol ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase and Dragendorff's reagent as spray reagent. Under uv light two spots appear at Rf 0.64 and 0.72. With spray reagent one spot appears at Rf 0.21. Corresponds to atropine.
BRYONIA ALBA (Bry. alba)
Bot. Name : Bryonia alba Linn. Family : Cucurbitaceae
History : The "bryonia" is derived from its meaning "Growing rapidly", because the stem grows rapidly. The flowers and roots are yellowish white - `albus' means white. This remedy was mentioned by Dioscoroids. It was introduced in Homoeopathic practice in 1816.
Description: A perennial climbing herbaceous vine with a fusiform, branched root. Leaves alternate, cordate five-lobed, rough, bright green in colour. Flowers small, greenish being on long peduncles, and the female flowers are larger than the male, berried globular, back and about 6 mm. in diameter.
Macroscopical : The root is in the form of circular or ellipitical slices from 1.5 to 10 cm. in breadth and up to 15 mm. in thickness, the edges light grey or yellowish, rough and striate, the cut surface light yellowish orange to moderate showing a thin bark and broad wood, the latter exhibiting a thin cortex and several concentric zones of collateral fibrovascular bundles; fracture short and mealy whitish internally.
Diagram Bryonia Dioica
Microscopical : (Powder) Light yellowish orange to light yellow fragments of parenchyma, numerous starch grains, both simple and 2-6 compound, the individual grains spheroidal, plano convex and polygonal, usually with a central hilum, from 4 to 254/4 width, reticulate or with bordered pores.
Distribution : Middle and South of Europe.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Bryonia alba in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x with dilute alcohol; 4x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action: Bryonia alba - the white bryony roots yield a glucoside Bryonin. It is a drastic purgative.
It irritates or inflammes many organs and tissues of the body, the muscles and the fibrous tissues, the mucous membranes of the alimentary tract and the respiratory system; the liver, the lungs and the synovial membranes, the internal ear and certain glands. The drug also produces a febrile condition.
Standard for Finished product: HPI
Bryonia alba : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 Percent v/v.
pH : Between 5.5 to 7.0
Sp. gr. : From 0.883 to 0.940.
Total solids : Not less than 0.60 Percent w/v.
/\ max. : 267 nm.
Identification : Colour Test : To 1 ml. mother tincture acidified with hydrochloric acid, add a few drops of Mayer's reagent, a yellow precipitate develops.
Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract drug or mother tincture, after removing its alcohol using chloroform methanol 9:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light four spots appear at Rf 0.28, 0.48, 0.82 and 0.93.
CALCAREA CARBONICA (Calcium Carbonate of Hahnemann) (Cal. carb.)
Chemical Symbol: CaCO3 Mol. Wt. 100.08
History: Hahnemann used the impure carbonate of lime as it exists in oyster shells. He prepared it from the snow white portion of the soft middle layer of the shells. It differs from the pure chemical manufacture of calcium carbonate.
Description: The substance used by Hahnemann was an impure carbonate of lime as it exists in the oyster shell. Take well selected, tolerably thick oyster shells, clean and break into small piece. The pure middle layer is selected, washed carefully with purified water, dried over a water bath and reduced to a fine powder using non-metallic instruments. It is fine, white, microcrystalline powder, odourless, tasteless. Almost insoluble in water, slightly soluble in water containing carbon dioxide. This may also be obtained by the process of precipitation. The precipitated calcium carbonate contains not less than 98.5 percent of CaCO3 calculated with reference to the substance dried to constant weight at 105*
Identification: i) It responds to the reactions characteristic of calcium and of carbonates.
ii) Loses not more than 1.0 percent of its weight when dried to constant weight at 105*
Assay: (for Calcium Carbonate Precipitate); weigh accurately about 1g. and transfer to a 250 ml. beaker. Moisten with a few ml. of water and add drop wise sufficient dilute hydrochloric acid to effect complete solution.
Transfer the solution to a 250 ml. flask, and water to make the volume and mix. Pipette 50 ml. of the solution in a suitable container, add 100 ml. water and 15 ml. of solution of sodium hydroxide, 40 mg. of pure, oxide indicator preparation and 3 ml. of solution of naphthol green and titrate with 0.05 M disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate, until the solution is deep blue in colour.
Each ml. of 0.05 M disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate is equivalent to 0.005005 g. of CaCO3.
Storage: Preserve calcium carbonate in a well-closed container.
Preparation (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Calcarea Carbonica Precipitate 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2 x and higher to be triturated; 6 x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a calcium carbonate of 96 Percent to 98 Percent purity.
The effects of line starvation and the provings have to be considered for the pathogenesis. General weakness with fatigue particularly while climbing up the hills. Shortness of breath, reduced body resistance which measures the ability to catch cold and easy perspiration developing fully, the metabolic state leading to tuberculous emaciation.
The emaciation is marked at neck and limbs but has a prominent distended abdomen.
Glands are often affected and bones tend to become soft, but the face remains plump.
Test for Potency
a) Reaction
Add 0.5 of 1x and 2x trituration in 10 ml. water with dil. hydrochloric acid after the addition of a few drops of ammonium oxalate solution and ammonia (liquid) till it is alkaline.
A fine white precipitate of calcium oxalate is formed either immediately or half an hour later.
b) Assay
0.5 of 1x or 5.0 g. of 2x and 10 g. of 3x are ground fine in 5 ml. or 20 ml. of water respectively and dissolved in 10 ml. of hydrochloric acid hot and is filtered from any trace and at 70* C liquid ammonia is added till the solution is alkaline. After half hour precipitated calcium oxalate is collected on a small filter paper, and washed with hot water and is dissolved in 5 ml hot dilute hydrochloric acid. The hot solution is titrated against 0.1 N potassium permanganates solution should amount 9.5- 9.8 ml. for 2x to 2x trituration and 1.90 to 1.96ml for 3x trituration. It corresponds to the purity of 95.98 Percent of CaCO3 (1ml of 0.1 N potassium permanganate solution = 0.005045g. cacO3 10g. of 4x trituration in 20 ml. water at a time with 10 drops of dil hydrochloric acid is dissolved. The content is estimated similarly by filtrating against 0.01 N potassium permanganate solution. It should consume 1.90-1.96ml.
(1 ml. of 0.01 N potassium permanganate solution = 0.0005045 g CaCO3)
0.5g of 1x,5.0g of 2x or 10g. of 3x in 20ml. water and 10 drops of dilute hydrochloric acid finely ground and is refluxed on water bath solution. Add 20 drops of sodium hydroxide solution and 3 drops of freshly prepared Murexide solution and it is titrated against 0.1 N iodine solution the colour changes to violet. The consumption should amount to 4.8-4.9ml respectively. Then the content to 9.6-9.8 Percent of CaCO3 to 1x trituration. 0.96-0.98 Percent of CaCO3 for the 2x trituration 0.96- 0.098 Percent of CaCO3 for 3x.
1 ml of 0.1 N iodine solution = 0.010009 gram calcium carbonate.
Standard for finished product :
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.35 per cent w/w to not more than 10.35 per cent w/w of CaCO3.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Calcarea Carbonica.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of CaCO3.
Assay : Char about 5 g. accurately weighed in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with the ash as given in assay method under Calcarea Carbonica.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w CaCO3.
Assay : Char about 20 g in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in minimum quantity of dilute hydrochloric acid.......follow the assay method given under Calcarea Carbonica.
CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA (Cal. phos.)
Chemical Symbol : Ca3(PO4)2 Mol. Wt. 310.183
Description : A white, amorphous or micro-crystalline powder, odourless and tasteless. It is stable in air. It is almost insoluble in water and is decomposed slightly in boiling water, insoluble in alcohol. It is readily soluble in dilute nitric or hydrochloric acid. Its specific gravity is 3.14. action of calcium chloride and secondary sodium phosphate in the presence of ammonia water. Contains not less than the equivalent of 85.0 Percent of Ca3(PO4)2.
Identification: i) A solution in nitric acid responds to the test of phosphates.
ii) A solution in dilute hydrochloric acid responds to the test of calcium.
iii) It gives a characteristic flame test for calcium.
Arsenic : Not more than 5 parts per million.
Chloride : Dissolve 0.1 g. in water by addition of 1 ml. of nitric acid; the solution complies with the limit test for chlorides.
Lead : Not more than 20 parts per million.
Sulphate : Dissolve 0.15 g in water by the addition of 1 ml of hydrochloric acid; the solution complies with the limit test for sulphates.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 0.2 g and dissolve in a mixture of 50 ml. of water and 2 ml. of water and 2 ml. of hydrochloric acid. Add 25 ml. of dilute ammonium acetate solution and a slight excess of solution of ammonium oxalate, heat for an hour on a water bath and filter, wash and residue with warm water, suspend in 50 ml. of water, acidity to litmus paper with dilute sulphuric acid. Heat to 70* and titrate with 0.1 N potassium permanganate keeping the solution at 70* during the entire titration. Each ml. of 0.1 N potassium permanganate is equivalent to 0.00517 g. of Ca2(PO4)2.
Storage : Preserve in well closed container.
Preparation : (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10
Calcarea phosphorica in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies
2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Testing of Potency :
a) Reaction :
1. Dip the sample of 1x, 2x, 3x potencies in silver nitrate solution, so that it forms silver phosphate of 1x, 2x, triturate which gives yellow and 3x triturate gives still very pale yellowish colour.
2. 0.5 gm. of 1x, 2x, and 5 gms. of 3 and 4x are dissolved in 10 ml. of water and 10 drops of hot dilute HCl Add 5 to 10 drops of ammonia oxalate solution and liquid ammonia till the solution is alkaline (or at the latest 1/2 an hour). Fine white precipitate of oxalate is formed immediately or at the latest within 1/2 an hour.
b) Assay :
Prepare 0.5 gm. of 1x, 5 gms. of 2x triturate in 10 ml. water and 1 ml. HCl and 10 gms. of 3x triturate in 20 ml. water with 1 ml. HCl. Use these solutions for the following tests -
1. Phosphoric Acid :
Add 1 ml. concentrated ammonia chloride solution and 1 ml. magnesia mixture (prepare the magnesia mixture). Dissolve 55 gms. crystalline magnesium chloride and 105 gms. of ammonium chloride and a little HCl to make the final volume to 1 litre. Remove the precipitate by addition of a few drops of HCl. Heat the solution on the hot water bath and add 2.5 Percent liquid ammonia till the solution is alkaline. Heat for further half hour on the water bath. The precipitate of secondary Magnesia ammonium phosphate is filtered (in 2 cm. diameter) and is washed in 2 ml. hot water. The precipitate with the filter is suspended in 30 ml. hot water and add 2 to 3 drops of methyl orange solution as indicator and is titrated till colour changes against 0.1 N HCl when maximum ammonium phosphate goes into solution as primary Phosphate.
2MgNH4PO4 Plus 4HCl = MgH4(PO4)2 Plus MgCl2 Plus 2NH4Cl
the consumption of 0.1 N HCl should be for 1x, 2x triturate - 5.7 to 5.8, for 3x triturate - 1.10 to 1.20 ml.
(1 ml. 0.1 N HCl = 0.0086007 kCaHOP42H2O.
CACTUS GRANDIFLORUS (Cact. grn.)
Bot. Name : Cereus grandiflorus Mill. Family : Cactaceae
History : The name cactus was originally given by Theophrastus to a spiny plant of Sicily. Dr. Rubini introduced this plant to homoeopathy in 1861.
Description : It is an evergreen under-shrub with a creeping root. The green branching system is succulent and armed with clusters of five or six short radiating spines of brittles. The flowers are large, sweet-scented, white and about 30 cm. in diameter, opening only once, that is, in the evening and closing again before the morning.
Macroscopical : The cactus stem occurs in segments of variable length from 1.5 - 4.0 cms. in diameter and with five to nine angle or ribs, the latter at intervals of about 2 cm. showing tufts of nine to twelve acicular spines about 5 mm. in length.
Microscopical : The transverse section of the stem is 5 to 9 angled in outline. The epidermis is cutinised and papillose cells, a narrow type dermis of three to four rows of collenchyma tissue, a narrow of small open collecteral fibrovascular bundles with bast fibres in the outer portion of the phloem, the bundles separated by medullary rays and a narrow central pith; mucilage sacs and crystal cells scattered throughout the cortex, pith and medullary rays.
Distribution : Generally hot and stony places of tropical America.
Part Used : Flowering stems. Moisture content of fresh stem 566 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/20
Cactus grandiflorus in moderately coarse powder 50 g.
Purified water 283 ml.
Strong alcohol 754 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the mother tincture.
(b) Potencies
2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water, and seven parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class III
Constituents and Action :
It contains cactin, resin, glucose, fat and wax. It is a cardio-tonic. There have been no laboratory investigations of Cactus and our knowledge is on the basis of Rubini's and his wife's provings. Its sphere of action is limited but well defined. It causes violent congestion of blood in many parts of the body but especially in the head and chest. The se congestions are accompanied by pressing pains and constrictive feelings in the affected area.
Standard of finished product : (HPI)
Cactus : Mother tincture Grandiflorus
Alcohol Content : 68.0 to 72.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.5 to 6.5
Specific Gr. : From 0.860 to 0.890
Total Solids : Not less than 0.3 Percent w/w.
/\ Max : 260 and 268 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test
1. Mix 1 ml. tincture with 0.5 ml. HCl solution thus obtained is brilliant green in colour.
2. Add 0.5 ml. (Nesler's Reagent), i.e.
Mercuric Nitrate solution to 5 ml. to 2 ml. tincture solution. The solution becomes light green.
3. Mix 3 ml. tincture with 1 ml. sodium hydroxide solution, the solution be- comes olive green initially, and then after some time finer precipitate will be formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n butanol: acetic acid: water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light three spots appear at Rf 0.32, 0.40 and 0.73.
CALENDULA OFFICINALIS (Calend.)
Bot.Name: Calendula Officinalis Linn. Family : Compositae
History: The name `Calendula' is derived from `Calends' - the first day of the month. The plant flowers on the first day of the month or at least once a month. It was in common use in 16th century, but later fell in disuse.
Dr. Franz introduced this in 1838 in Homoeopathic practice.
Description : A more or less hairy annual, 50-60 cm. high; leaves thickish, oblong to oblong-obovate, 5.15 cm. or more long, entire or minutely and veinately denticulate, more or less less clasping. Head solitary on stout stalks, showy, 4-5 or 10 cm. across, the flat spreading rays white yellow to deep orange; closing at night. Sometimes the plant is proliferous from the involucre bearing several peduncled heads in a circle. Involucre broad usually carious margined bracts in 1 or 2 rows, receptacle naked; cypsela glabrous, incurved, disk flowers, unfertile, pappus none.
Diagram Calendula Officinalis
Microscopical : Fragments of corolla, mounted in water or chloral hydrate, and in the transverse section, exhibit elongated epidermal cells with striated cuticle, the parenchyma cells beneath showing numerous, often yellow, oil globules and irregular chrome-plastids. In the vicinity of the tube will be noted a few long non-glandular hairs, consisting of a double row of thin-walled, more or less collapsed cells with a 1 or 2 celled summit and up to about 950 u in length coarsing through the mesophyll will be noted strands of fibro-vascular tissue, each possessing an annular and spiral trachea - Spinose pollen grains, 3 pored and up to 45 u in diameter will be noted adhering to the corolla.
Distribution : It is cultivated in India.
Parts used : Fresh flowering tops and leaves: moisture content of fresh flowering tops and leaves in 600 ml. per 100 g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10
Calendula Officinalis moist 700 g.
magma containing solids 100 g.
and plant moisture appr. 600 ml. Strong Alcohol 437 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts Purified Water, five parts Strong Alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action :
Flowers : contain amorphous bitter principle called calendulin tasteless substance analogous to bassorius, traces of essential oil, cleanolic acid, a gum, a sterol, cholesterol, esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic and pentadecytic acids - faradiol and armidiol. Plant contains salicylic acid. Roots contain Inulin. It is a styptic, astringent and vulnerary used in wounds and injuries.
In the pre-antiseptic days of the American Civil War it was found serviceable in gun shot wounds promoting healing lessening suppuration and relieving pain. In a proportion of 2 drops of solution to 1 part of normal saline is very soothing.
It favours stimulation and eliminates numerous unpleasant odours. It replaces iodine on sensitive skins.
Standard for Finished Product :
Calendula : Mother tincture Officinalis
Alcohol Content : 38.0 to 42.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.1 to 6.1
Sp. gr. : Not less than 0.933 and not more than 0.970.
Total solids : Not less than 1.8 Percent w/w.
/\ max : 256 and 290 mm
Identification : Colour Test : To 1 ml. of chloroform layer of mother tincture, add one drop of sulphuric acid the chloroform layer turns green.
Carry out TLC of mother tincture using Chloroform methanol (8:2 v/v) as mobile phase. Three spots appear at Rf 0.03, 0.11, and 0.98.
CAMPHORA (Camph)
Chemical Symbol C 10 H 16 O Mol. Wt. 152. 238
History : It is a crystalline volatile substance derived from the Cinnamomum camphora of China and Japan.
Description : A colourless or white crystalline powder, granules or crystalline masses: or pressed blocks of crystalline structure easily cut with a knife. It has a strong characteristic odour and pungent bitter taste, followed by a cooling sensation. It is readily pulverisable in the presence of a little alcohol, or chloroform. It is soluble in about 840 parts of water, 1 part of alcohol and 1 part of ether. It specific gravity is about 0.99. It melts between 174* and 179* slowly volatilizes at ordinary temperature. It is a ketone obtained from Cinnamomum camphora Linn, or from Ocimum canum Sims and is purified by sublimation. Contains not less than 96 per cent of C 10 H 16 O
Identification : i) A solution of 1 g. of the preparation in 4 ml of alcohol is clear and colourless.
ii) It burns with a bright smoky flame.
Non volatile matter : When volatilized at 105* leaves not more than 0.05 per cent of residue.
Assay : Dissolve about 0.1 g accurately weighed in 25 ml of aldehyde free alcohol in a 300 ml flask. Slowly add with constant shaking 75 ml of dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution. Heat on a water bath under a reflux condenser for four hours. Remove the alcohol by distillation, allow to cool, dilute to 200 ml with a 2 per cent v/v solution of sulphuric acid in water and allow to stand for 24 hours. Filter in a tared Gooch crucible and wash the precipitate with successive quantities, each of 10 ml of cold water until the washings are neutral to litmus solution. Dry to constant weight at 80* an weigh. Each gramme of precipitate is equivalent to 0.458 g of C 10 H 16 O.
Preparation Drug strength 1/10 a) Mother tincture Camphore 100g.
Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration : 1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x and 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Rubinis Camphor Saturated solution of camphor in strong alcohol (Saturated Tincture) Drug strength 1/2
Old Method: Class VI
Storage: Mother tincture and potencies should be kept in a well closed container in a cool place.
Assay : Add 0.2 ml. camphor solution in 300 ml conical flash containing 15 ml. alcohol and 75 ml. 2-4, dinitrophenyl- hydrazine solution. Reflux under reflux condenser on a water bath (Boiling water) for four hours. Cool, add 200 ml water and store it in refrigerator for 24 hours. Filter the residue on a dry glass filter and weighing with 50 ml. cold water till neutral (test with litmus paper).
1g. wt = 0.4580g. camphor. To convert into per centage, Divide the number of grams of camphor in 100ml. by density of solution and then add 0.2 to the result.
The solution should contain 9.8 to - 10.2 Percent camphor.
Constituents and Action :
Camphor is slightly antiseptic but it has a much wider sphere of therapeutic action.
In large doses its causes confusion, excitement and headache spasmodic movements ending in convulsions. There is deadly coldness as in a collapse. The convulsions are of cerebral (cortical) origin. The heart's action is reduced in frequency and the blood pressure lowered after a slight rise.
Small doses cause a certain degree of temporary surface warmth and flushing, a feeling of warmth and comfort in the stomach- burning from the throat to the stomach.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Potency 1x contain : not less than 9.10 Percent to not more than 10.10 Percent of the drug.
Potency 2x contain : not less than .910 Percent to not more than 1.01 Percent of the drug.
Potency 3x contain : not less than 0.091 to not more than 0.101 Percent of the drug.
CANTHARIS (Canthr.)
Zoological Name : Lytta vesicatoria Febricus
Family : Cantharidae
Description : This fly of the middle and south of Europe appears in the month of May and June, especially on the white, popular, privet, ash elder, lilac, etc. upon the leaves of which they feed. The insect is about half an inch long, of a golden yellow green; head inclined, almost cordiform; antennae filliform, of twelve joints, black antennulae equally filliform,the posteriors swollen at the extremity; eyes large of a deep brown; mouth with an upper lip and two bifid jaws; body elongated, almost round and cylindric; two wings; elytrae soft, semi cylindric, marked with longitudinal streaks head and feet full of whitish hairs; the odour sweetish, nauseous; taste very acrid, almost caustic - the larvae of these insects have yellowish white bodies, formed of three rings, short feet, rounded head, two short filliform antennae, two jaws and four feelers; they live in the ground, feed on roots, undergo their metamorphosis, and do not come out till they are perfect insects. In May and June, when the insects swarm upon the trees, they are collected in the morning at sunrise, when they are torpid from the cold of the night, and easily let go their hold. Persons with the faces protected by masks and their hands with gloves, shake the tree or beat them with poles, and the insects are received as they fall upon linen cloth spread underneath. They are then exposed in sieves to the vapour of boiling vinegar, and having been thus deprived of life, are dried either in the sun or in apartments heated by stoves. The larger files are much better for medical use than the smaller ones.
Distribution: It is a Spanish fly and is found in Middle and South of Europe, and South Western Asia. It feeds on ash and other trees.
Part Used : The whole dried fly.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Cantharis in fine power 100 g Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class IV.
Constituents and Action :
The active principle of Cantharis is an anhydride known as Canthardin (C 10 H 12 O 1). It is more soluble in alcohol than in water.
Its action as a vesicant is slow, ten or twelve hours, but it can be hastened by the application of hot poultice. An ointment acts faster than poultice.
It was used in the past as diuretic in chronic nephritis. It is used as a popular hair wash in alopecia.
It acts on the skin causing redness and burning and ultimately forms a blister.
Standard for Finished Produce : (HPI)
Cantharis : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 87.0 to 91.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 9.5 to 10.2
Sp. gr. : From 0.810 to 0.840
Total solids : Not less than 1.20 Percent v/v
/\ max. : 265 and 223 nm.
Identification : Carry out TLC of mother tincture using cyclohexane - acetone (1:1 v/v) as mobile phase and spray with 2:4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution. Four spots appear at Rf 0.52, 0.68, 0.86 and 0.94 all are red. 0.94 corresponds with Canthardine. or Carry out Co-TLC of Mother tincture on Silica Gel (G) with canthardine using Cyclohexane. Acetone (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and 2:4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution for spray. Red spots corresponding to Cantherdine appears.
CARBO VEGETABILIS (Carbo. veg)
Description : A bluish-black porous substance, having a peculiar glistening aspect and retaining minutely both the form and texture of the wood from which it was made. It is odourless and tasteless; insoluble and infusible. Its specific gravity is 1.7. It is commonly prepared from selected birch or beach wood by heating at high temperatures. The product is washed free form mineral matter and dried. Charcoal had the property of absorbing gases and of condensing them within its porous mass. It is denser when obtained by pile-burning than when prepared in retorts. On continuous exposure to gases it becomes saturated with them but its absorbing powers are restored by heating it to redness out of contact with air.
Identification : i) When heated in air it is converted into carbon dioxide.
ii) When burnt, it should give no smoke or unpleasant odour.
iii) Absence of flame shows freedom from organic compounds.
Ash : Not more than 10.0 per cent
Storage : Preserve in well-closed containers.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Carbo Vegetabilis in fine power 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Vegetable charcoal is generally made from poplar, beach or birch wood.
Charcoal has the properties of absorbing gases in its interstices and thus ordinarily contains oxygen which when charcoal is brought in contact with decomposing organic matter, is released and oxidizes the purifying mass and at the same time charcoal absorbs th gases that are formed by the oxidizing process. It has no direct action on the microbes of putrefaction but favours the development of the aerobic organism at the expense of the anaerobic.
It passes through the stomach and intestines unabsorbed and but rarely causes any mechanical irritation.
The deodorant and antiseptic properties of wood charcoal were known before Hahnemann made its first proving and demonstrated its marvellous powers in the cure of diseases. Charcoal when applied locally will greatly reduce the horrible odour of foul ulcers of cancerous tissue that has begun to break down.
It led him to believe that it would prove to be a useful medicine when given in homoeopathic doses. Many of the cardinal symptoms of Carbo Veg are proved by the two properties, disintegration of tissue and putrefaction.
CAUSTICUM (Caust.)
Description : This preparation has been introduced in Homoeopathic Pharmacy by Hahnemann and is peculiar to homoeopathy. It is of indefinite composition and hence should be made strictly in accordance with Hahnemann's instructions. Take a piece of freshly burnt lime of about 1 kg. Dip this piece into a vessel of purified water for about one minute; then lay it in a dry dish in which it will soon turn into powder with the development of much heat and its peculiar odour, called line vapour. Of this fine powder take 60 g. and mix with it in a (warmed) porcelain triturating bowl, a solution of of 60 ml. bisulphate of Potash, which has been heated to red heat and melted, cooled again and then pulverised and dissolved in 60 ml. of boiling hot water. This thickish mixture is put into a small glass retort, to which the helm is attacked with wet bladder; into the tube of the helm is inserted the receiver, half submerged in water, the retort is warmed by the gradual approach of a charcoal firm below and all the fluid is then distilled over by applying suitable heat. The distilled fluid will be about 30 ml. of watery clearness containing causticum in concentrated form.
It smells like the lye of caustic potash. Taste burning in the throat; it freezes only at a lower temperature than that of water. It does not respond to the tests for sulphates and for calcium.
Preparation : (a) Solution Drug Strength 1/2
Causticum 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the solution.
(b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Causticum is a product of the crude pharmaceutics of the time of Hahnemann. He prepared it by distilling a mixture of recently slaked lime and previously burned and melted potassium bisulphate. Since the provings have been made by the Hahnemann's original product, his instruction for preparing are adhered to by all modern homoeopathic chemists. The preparation is somewhat of uncertain nature and the modern liquor potassea is often dispensed as a substitute.
If reflects the effects of potassium salts in general which are to produce great body weakness - physical and mental.
Irritative conditions, muscular twitching and spasms involving single muscles or group of muscles - limb or end in convulsions. Well marked hyperaesthesia of special senses, hearing and touch - i.e. Menier's disease. They are started by jerk, noise etc. particularly in sleep.
Stammering as a form of irregular paresis or inco-ordination claims notice here.
Unilateral paresis of facial nerve due to prolonged exposure to cold dry wind.
CHAMOMILLA (Cham.)
Bot. Name : Anthemis nobilis Linn Family : Compositae
Description : An annual herb with large, woody fibrous roots, stem erect 30-60 cm. high, solid, smooth, shining, strongly striate, with long, slender branches, leaves numerous, alternate, sessile, amplexicaul, upper simple, the other bi or tri-pinnatified, the segments strap shaped, narrow and minutely pointed. Flowers numerous, terminal solitary on striated naked peduncles. Ray florets white, oblong with 3 teeth; the disk florets yellow and conical.
Diagram Matricaria Chamomilla
Distribution : India, Asia and Europe.
Part Used : Dried whole plant in flowering or the whole fresh plant.
Microscopical : Each dried flower head is hemispherical and about 12 to 20 mm in diameter. The florets are of a white to pale buff colour, the outer ones hiding the involucre of bracts. A few hermaphrodite, tubular florets are usually found near the apex of the solid receptacle. A transition between typical tubular florets and typical ligulate ones is often seen. The ligulate florets show three teeth (or occasionally two, the centre one being the most developed. There are four principal veins. The corolla is contracted near its base into a tube from which bifid style projects - The ovary is inferior and devoid of pappus. Each floret arises in the axil of a thin membranous bract or palae which has blunt apex.
At the base of a receptacle is an involucre consisting of 2 to 3 rows have a strong aromatic odour and a bitter taste.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Chamomilla in coarse powder 100 g
Purified Water 500 g
Strong Alcohol 537 ml
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and the five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1
Constituent and Action :
Essential oil, anthemic acid, anthemidine, tannin, a and B heteroside chamozulene, salicylic acid, apigenin, acetylated apigenin, glucoside, and matricaria, an acetylated derivative of sesquiterpene.
Contains up to 30 Percent glycoside which possess spasmolytic action in large doses, paralyses smooth muscle.
Stimulant, emmenagogue, diaphoretic carminative and used in constitutional debility and hysteria, dyspepsia and intermittent fever. Used externally for rheumatism and colic, flatulence.
The German chamomile contains about 1/2 Percent of a blue volatile oil. The drug is diaphoretic and an emmenogogue. If produce a marked impermiability of the sensory and excites motor nerves to cause clonic spasms of intestines and uterus.
In large doses it produces epistaxis and emesis with excessive mental irritability, used as herb tea in France and Germany, is a great scotter of pains.
Standard for finished Products :
Chamomilla = Mother tincture
Alcohol Content = 47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
Sp. gr. = From 0.910 to 0.940
pH = Between 5.5 to 6.5
Total Solids = Not less than 0.80 v/v
/\ max. = 320 = 268 nm
Identification : (a) Colour Test :
1. Add ferric chloride solution to the tincture, colour of tincture becomes dark. There is no precipitate or any green colouration.
2. Dissolve a few crystals of copper tartarate in 1 ml sodium hydroxide solution and add 2 ml tincture to it. After some time when cold yellowish brown precipitate (Fructose) is formed.
3. Shake 5 ml tincture with 10 ml petroleum either and concentrate to 1/3 volume. Add 3-4 drops of hydrochloric acid. the solution becomes beautiful green. Evaporate petroleum ether solution to dryness and keep the residue over hydrochloric acid. Temporary brilliant green colour is formed.
4. Dilute 1 ml tincture with 15 ml water and make it alkaline with ammonia or with sodium hydroxide. The solution luminesces with brilliant pale blue under analytical lamp (umbelliferol) chromatogramme of tincture (Chamomilla). Solvent n-Butanol-Acetic acid-water, (organic phase) under day-light Plus diazalised sulfanilic acid
Under UV light Rf = 0.90 Orange 0.90-0.91 blue Under Uv light Plus Ammonia 0.93 blue bottle blue (Unstable bright 0.90 intense blue.
b) Carry out TLC chloroform extract using chloroform; methanol 95.5 v/v as mobile phase and antimony bichloride as Spray reagent. Three spots appear at Rf 0.43; 0.56; and 0.85.
To 1 ml of mother tincture add 1 ml of water and make alkaline with ammonia solution. A greenish yellow fluroscence is produced.
CHELIDONIUM MAJUS (Chel. Maj.)
Bot.Name: Chelidonium majus Linn Family : Papaveraceae
Description : A perennial herb 30-120 cm. in height, loosely- branching with acrid saffron-coloured juice. Leaves deeply pinnatifid, the segment ovate or obovate, cerate or lobed sometimes 2-pinnatifid, glaucous beneath.
Flowers in a small peduncled umbels 6-8 cm across; sepals 2, petals 4 m yellow in colour, stamens many, ovary of 2 carpels the style very short with 2-lobed stigmas; capsule lined, 2.5-5 cm. long, climbing from base upwards.
Diagram Chelidonium Majus
Distribution : Europe in waste places, old walls, hedges, borders of highways near habitations, particularly in Germany and France.
Part Used: Whole plant.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Chelidonium majus in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 468 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies : 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method : Class 1.
Constituents and Action :
Chelidonium belongs to poppy family and contains alkaloids resembling those found in opium. Four have been identified.
Chelidonine and alpha, beta, gamma homochelidonine. They produce moderate depression of central nervous system and narcosis.
They slow the heart by direct action on the cardiac muscles and cause the respiration to be slowed and depended. In the mother tincture other counter-acting alkaloids are also present, which do not allow the action to progress. It acts powerfully on the liver and the neighbouring organs; the base of the right lungs: It also affects the kidney and disturbs the circulation.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Chelidonium : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 41.0 to 45.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.2 to 6.5
Sp. gr. : From 0.910 to 0.940
Total solids : Not less than 1.0 Percent w/w
/\ max : 263, 310 (b) nm.
Identification : 1. Colour Test : Evaporate 1 ml. of mother tincture on water bath, dis- solve the residue in 5-6 drops of dilute hydrochloric acid, add a few drops Mayer's reagent, an abundant brown precipitate appears.
2. Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol : acetic acid : water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf 0.34, 0.52, 0.61, 0.67 all blue and 0.84 red.
3. Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using chloroform : methanol (9:1 v/v)
as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf 0.15, 0.44, 0.54, 0.67 (all blue) and 0.82 (yellow).
CINCHONA OFFICINALIS (Cine of)
Bot. Name: Cinchona Officinalis Linn. Family: Rubiaceae.
History: Countess Ann wife of fourth count, was cured of tertian fever by the use of bark in 1638. Its virtues we made know to Europe in 1640. Botanists identified the plant only in 1737. This is of particular interest to Homoeopathic science: Hahnemann was studying the plant when the discovered the law of similars.
Description: A slender tree, 7-10 meter high, rough, brown,yellow within, with black and whitish marking on the bark, leaves small, smooth, ovate, lanceolate; shining and reddish petioles,flowers rosy.
Distribution: India (Nilgiris, Assam, and Khasi Hills) and Sikkim, at an elevation of 2,000 to 2,500 meters.
Macroscopical: stem bark quilled or curved pieces up to 30 cm or more long from about 2 to 6 mm thick; outer surface dull brown- grey or grey and frequently bearing lichens and mosses; usually rough, being marked with transverse fissures varying in type according to the species and often fissured, exfoliation of the outer bark varying in colour,from pale-yellowish brown to deep reddish brown,fracture short in the external layers and fibrous in the inner layers.
Macroscopical: The diagnostic characters are thin walled cork cells; numerous, isolated, yellowish spindle-shaped, striated, phloem fibres up to 90m in diameter with conspicuous-somewhat funnel-shaped pits; small number of starch grains about 6 to 10 in diameter from the parenchyma; parenchymatous idoblasts filled with microcrystals of calcium oxalate; very rare stone cells. The most important alkaloid is quinine.
Part Used: Bark
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Cinchona officinalis in moderately coarse power 100 g Purified Water 200 ml Strong Alcohol. 824 m.
To make one thousand Millitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and high with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dis- pensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV (tincture)
Constituents and Action.
Quinine is the principal alkaloid. It exhibits a good example of how the primary and the secondary effects of a drug may be utilized, on opposite principles for therapeutic purpose.
It is primarily a stimulant of protoplasm in general and secondarily exhausts and paralyses it.
Pyrexial effects of quinine are usually unaccompanied by inflammation on any particular structure, region.
It causes jaundice and haemoglobinuria.
It has a marked action on the blood cells, muscle tissue, circularity system and metabolism.
Standard for finished product.
Cinchona officinalis :Mother tincture.
Alcohol Content :75 to 79 Percent v/v
pH :between 4.9 to 5.4
Sp. gr. :From ).878 to 0.880.
Total Solids :Not less than 0.80 Percent w/v
/\ Max :280-332 nm.
Identification: Carry out TLC Mother tincture using methanol ammonia 100:1.5 v/v as mobile phase with Dragandroff's Reagent. Five spots appear at Rf 2.32,0.63, 0.74,0.82 and 0.87: spots at 0.63 corresponds to Cinchonine and at 0.82 corresponds with quinine.
TLC mother tincture spotted on SLG plates.
Solvent System: Benzene Ethylaccetate diethylamine 7:2:1 v/v" Rf.10.52, 0.66, 0.91 and 0.99 Spraying reagent= Dragandorff's reagent.
CINA (Cina)
Bot. Name Artemisia maritime Linn. Family: Compositae.
Description: An ever-green perennial shrub with many slender, erect flowering stems up to one meter higher, much slender, erect flowering stems up to one meter high, much branched. Flower heads about 21-3 cm, long oblong ovoid sessile, pale brownish-green colour, odourous with bitter taste.
Distribution: In temperate region, western Himalayas.
Part Used: Flower heads.
Macroscopical: The flower heads are of a greenish, yellowish colour but turn brown by drying and keeping. They are from 1.5 to 4 mm long elongated ovoid in shape and somewhat angular, their surface is shining and only slightly hairy.
A few fragments of leaves and stalks always occur admixed with the flower heads. the involucre consists of fourteen to twenty, most commonly sixteen, imbricated ovate or lanceolate bracts, each having a distinct keel and bearing on the dorsal surface, numerous glistening compositous glandular trichomes and very few cottony balande hair; the mid-rib branches freely and the vein- lets are contorted and frequently anastomose. The bracts enclose about 3 to 5 tubular hermaphrodite florets about 1 mm long and 0.5 wide,the apices of the five corolla lobes being slightly papillose but not bearing trichomes; compositous glandular,trichomes occur on the outer surface of the corolla and ovary. The pollen grains are spherical, about 20-25 in diameter with 3 germinal furrows and pores; the surface of the exine finely granular, but has no spines.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Cina in moderately, coarse powder Strong Alcohol in 100 g.
Sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration: 1x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV.
Constituents and Action:
Santonin (C16H18O3) A neutral principle derived from unexpanded flower heads. When fresh the crystals are colourless but turn yellow on exposure to sunlight.
Santonin is absorbed to some extend from the stomach, and thereby causing constitutional symptoms.
It has a very peculiar effect and that the influence on colour vision. Object appear yellow. This is said to be because of action of Santonin in retina, that prevents the regeneration of the substance in retina which prevents the violent rays.
It causes twitching of muscles, rolling of eyes and grinding of teeth. Regular epileptiform Seizures may also occur. Respiration is embarrassed during convulsions.
Standard for Finished Product:
Cina : Mother tincture
pH : Between 5.30 to 6.30
Sp.gr. : From 0.825 to 0.840
Total Solids : Not less than 0.6 Percent W/v
/\ max. : 334 nm.
Identification : Colour Test: To 1 ml of mother tincture add to drop of alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution.
A red colour is produced. to 2 ml of.
tincture add a drop of ethanolic hydroxy amine solution followed by a few drops of Alcoholic ferric chloride solution.
A blue-green colour is produced.
Carry out TLC of chloroform extract of the mother tincture using chloroform methanol 9.1 v/v as mobile phase under Uv light four spots appear at Rf 0.33, 0.44, 0.51 and 0.83 (This corresponds with Santonin)
COCCULUS INDICUS (Coc.ind)
Bot. Name:Anamirta cocculus W&A Family: Menispermaceae
History: The name is derived from `Cocenin' meaning a kermes berry. These berries have been used to prevent secondary fermentation of liquors and also by brewers to impart intoxicating properties to beer. It was introduced by Hahnemann 1805.
Description: A larger woody climber with corky bark, Leaves 10- 12 cm long broadly ovate, acute, or obtuse, rounded or subcordate at the base thinly coriaceous, above, paler and with small tufts of hair in the axils of the veins beneath; petioles thickened and prehensile at the lower ends. Flowers 6 mm in diameter, pale greenish-yellow, sweet scented. Sepals imbricate, ultimately reflexed. ripe fruits are known as Cocculus indicus.
Distribution: India (Malabar, Assam), Bangladesh Ceylon, Burma, Malaya and East Indian Islands.
Part used: Seeds.
Macroscopical: Drupe dusky,reddish brown to moderate brown reniform and wrinkled 8 to 12.5 mm in length and 7 or 11 mm in breadth and 7 to 10 mm in thickness, the base marked by a circular stems scar pericarp touch, about 1 mm in diameter,enclosing a single seed, seed yellowish grey, urn- shaped.
Microscopical:Pericarp consists of epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp Epicarp of a layer of more or less cubical shaped cells, Mesocarp consists of an outer region of thin, walled cells with brown glandular contents which become reddish brown with a solution of potassium hydroxide, a zone of elongated brownish red cells in which occur coarse fibro-vascular bundles;several rows of yellowish cells. (Endocarp consists of strongly Unified porous sclerenchyma fibres). Endosperm is composed of polygonal cells with thin walls containing aleurone and fixed oil and acicular crystals insoluble in KOH solution,alcohol or water soluble in HCL.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/100 Cocculus Indicus in coarse powder 100 g Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity.
To make one thousand millilitres of tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV
Cocculus indicus contains a crystalline principle, Picrotoxin C15 H16 O6H2O which is a powerful poison. It resemble inaction to Cicutoxin.
It acts on motor nerves,affects first the voluntary muscular system causing tetanic contractions paralysis and thus the sensation causing vertigo and confusion. It causes respiratory disorder through its action of medulla oblongata and nervous system.
A prover of picrotoxin experienced nausea and tendency to faint. Violent intestinal pain,dysentery, diarrhoea, and excessive secretion of urine, and with a sensation that the bowels would protrude out of left inguinal ring.
COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE (Colch. at.)
Bot.Name:Colchicum autumnale Linn. Family: Liliaceae
History:The name colchicum is derived from "Colchis", an ancient province in Asia minor, east to the Black Seam, where the poisonous plant grew and flourished.
"Autumnale" is the season in which it f;lowers. the plant is now cultivated in England. Dioscoroids mentioned this remedy. the Arabs recommended its use in gout but soon abandoned it because of its high toxicity. Dr. Stapf introduced it to Homoeopathy in 1929.
Description: An annual herb; underground stem (corm) tunicate; leaves few, appearing usually in spring lanceolate 25 cm or less long and 5 c,m. or less wide. Flowers 1.4 or 6, 7-10 cm. across when expanded,appearing in autumn, with slender tubes several inches long, that elevates the purple oblong obtuse veined segments above the group segments 2.5 to 7 cm. long,stamens 6, less than half as long as segments; capsule 2.5 3e.7. arising with foliage in spring.
Macroscopical:" corm in slices up to 2 to 5 mm. thick and subreniform to ovate in outlines with yellowish edges; a few pieces are sub-conical or planoconvex-the slices are hard and break readily with a short mealy fracture; the cut surfaces are white and starchy and show vascular strands as small grayish points.
Microscopical: The diagnostic characters are: the brown epidermal cells with indistinctly pitted, slightly wavy walls; the abundant large-celled parenchyma containing numerous starch trains,usually compound, with 2 to 4 upto 7 components but sometimes single, individual grains being spherical or ovoid to polyhaderal or muller-shaped 3 to 10 microns in diameter with a triangular or stellate, central hylem; the occasional vessels, with spiral or annular thickening, the absence of sclerenchyma and calcium oxalate crystals.
Distribution: Cultivated in India,also found in Europe.
Part Used: Bulbs, moisture content of fresh bulb 233 ml. per 100g. solids.
Preparation : (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Colchicum Autumnale,moist magma containing solids 100 g plant moisture 233 ml.
Purified Water 267 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, 3 parts purified water and 6 parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Standard for finished products: (HPI)
Colchicum aut. : Mother tincture
Alcohol content: 47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 5.7 to 7.2
Sp.gr. : From 0.920 to 0.932
Total solids : Not less than 0.6 Percent w/v
/\ max. : 224 and 326 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test:Dilute 10m.. tincture or 1x to 3x potency with 10 ml. water. Add 2 drops of sodium hydroxide to it. Extract with 10 ml. of chloroform. Separate the chloroform layer and evaporate to dryness on water bath. Add a few drops of sulphuric acid and few crystals of potassium nitrite. Blue streaks are formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of mother tincture using methanol-ammonia (100:1.5 v/v) as mobile phase with Dragan- dorff's reagent. One spot appears at Rf 0.86 (corresponds with colchi cine.
COLOCYNTHIS (COLOC.)
Bot.Name: Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Sch. Family:Cucurbitaceae
Description: An annual, deciduous climber with large, long woody and branched roots, from which arise several slender rough annular, pale green above,ashy beneath,deltoid, 3.7 lobed,tough stems, with alternate, petiolate leaves, variable in size. Flowers yellow,large solitary axillary, monoecious, pedunculate. Fruit; pepo or gourd, the size and shape of an orange from 6-10 cm, in diameter,yellow with a thin, solid, smooth rind,containing spongy very bitter pulp. Seeds 4.6 mm. long, pale. brown.
Macroscopical: The dried pulp occurs in white or pale, yellowish white,light, pithy fragments. Very few seeds escape removal. They are about 7 mm long and flattened escape in shape, the testa is yellowish white to dark brown, ovoid in shape. The testa is yellowish white to dark brown, smooth externally,and extremely hard, the seed is exalbuminous, and the embryo contains a large amount of fixed oil, the rind is I mm. thick externally, buff coloured glabrous and granular,the inner surface whitish,and marked by impressions of the seeds.
Microscopical:The diagnostic characters are: the large,thin- walled parenchymatous cells separated by inter-cellular spaces and showing flat,rounded, pitted areas where they are in contact with the occasional spiral and annular vessels; the absence f starch grains, crystal of calcium proportions as corresponded to an amount of seed not exceeding 5 Percent and to an amount of outer sclerenchymatous part of the pericarp, not exceeding 2 Percent
Habitat:Grows in warm and dry situations in India, Ceylon, Arabia,North Africa, Cape of Good Hope and Japan.
Parts used: Pulp of the fruit rejecting the seeds.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Colocynthis in coarse powder 100g Purified Water 500ml.
Strong Alcohol 537ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: ex to contain one part tincture, 3 parts Purified Water and six parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class IV.
Constituents and Action:
Seeds contains a fixed oil,a phytosteroid and two phytosteroid hydrocarbons, a saponin, a glucoside and a tannin. Pulp contains L-elaterin, fruit contains a phytosteroid and a mixture of fatty acids. Fruit and seeds are purgative.
Fresh root is an antidote to snake poison. Colocynthin and colocynthetien are two important alkaloids.
In case of poisoning it causes acute inflammation of gastro- intestinal tract resulting into colic,vomiting. It causes the peristaltic action of the intestine.
It also acts through other nerves than through the solar plexus- inguinal, lumbar and cranial-causing inflammation.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Colocynthis :Mother tincture Alcohol content :47.0 to 51.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5.4 to 6.2
Sp.gr. :From 0.910 to 0.950
Total solids :Not less than 1.20 Percent z/v.
/\ max. :225 nm and 310 nm.
Identification : a) Colour reaction: Evaporate 1 m..
tincture on a water bath. Add I drop of sulphuric acid to the residue. Orange to yellowish red colour is produced.
b) Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform-methanol (9.1 v/v) as a mobile phase. Under uv light four four spots appear at Rf 0.13, 0.52. 0.63. 0.83 (all blue).
CONIUM MACULATUM (Con.mac.)
Bot.Name: Conium Maculatum Linn Family Umbelliferae
History:The name `conium' means "to around" and is so named because it produces giddiness when taken. Maculatum is French. Macula-spot. Latus Maculatis spotted. the stem has brownish pimple spots. It was known in 4th and 5th century B.C., Hahnemann introduced this to Homoeopathic practice 1835.
Description: a poisonous much branched herb, 3o to 60 cms. in height, with stem speckled reddish purple, leaves pinnately compound with segments pinnatifid and toothed. Flowers white in compound, many rayed, umbels with few bracts and bracticles carpels ribbed. Fruit broadly ovate, laterally compressed and at the commenissures more or less constricted,somewhat tuberculate.
Microscopical:The diagnostic characters are epidermal cells with striated cuticle, wavy anticlinal walls and containing yellow dendritic crystals of diosmin, the cells as the margin in about 3 longitudinal rows in both upper and lower surface,stomata ranunculaceous, are on upper surface and numerous on lower surface,water pores on upper surface to tip of teeth; single layer of palisade tissue,petiole, approximately oval in transverse section with about 9 shallow, external, collenchymatous rigid's, a single forming a circle of bundles around the central cavity; solitary secretory canal adjoining each phloem group and additional but similar canals flanking the xylem of each bundle in the petiole; reaches with structure similar to that of people, but with fewer angles and a shallow medium groove on the upper surface; absence of trachomas,calcium oxalate and sclerids from the lamina.
Distribution:Temperate regions of Asia, Europe and North Africa.
Part Used: The whole plant. Moisture content of fresh plant 200 ml per 100 g. solids.
Preparation: (a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Conium Maculatum in coarse powder 100 8 Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong alcohol 637 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) potencies:2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol,3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class I.
Constituents and action:
It contains 0.5 to 1.5 Percent conine conhydrine, pseudo conhydrine methyl conine,ethyl priperydine, conic acid and volatile fixed oil.
It is the first vegetable alkaloid that was successfully formed by synthesis in the laboratory. Hahnemann says that "primary action of conium is one of rigidity-Condensation and constriction of fibres with swelling for the glands and diminution." Taste says hat its action is primarily inflammatory.
The alkaloid conine causes nausea and vomiting at an early state with profuse salivation and perspiration and at the same time there are twitchings and trainers accompanied by stiffness and rigidity of some of the limbs, this is followed by great weakness and finally paralysis.
Standard from finished product: (HPI)
Conium mac : Mother tincture.
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 v/v
pH : Between 5.4 to 6.2
Specific gr. : 0.890 to 0.920
Total solids : Not less than 0.54 Percent w/w
/\ max : 265 nm.
Identification : Colour Reaction:
1.The mother tincture luminisces under analytical lamp-intense dark blue even with 2x or 3x potency. Addition of caustic soda changes to sea green colour.
2.Carry out TLC of mother tincture using n-butanol-acetic acid, water 4:1:12 v/v as mobile phase. Under Uv light four spots appear at 0.03, 0.68, 0.82 and 0.94. Carry out TLC of chloroform methanol extract 9:1 v/v as mobile phase. Under uv light six spots appear at Rf:0.33, 0.49, 0.68, 0.85, and 0.94. All are blue.
CUPRUM METALLICUM (Cup.,met.)
Chemical Symbol:cu At.wt.63.54.
Description:A reddish lustrous, malleable and ductile metal. It may be in the form of a very fine powder, becomes gradually coated with a green basic carbonate when gradually exposed to air. Next to silver,it is the best conductor of electricity. Its specific gravity is 8.9. It melts at 1083*C. t is very slowly attacked by hydrochloric or dilute sulfuric acid but is readily7 dissolved by dilute nitric acid. It slowly dissolves in ammonia water. It is found in nature in elementary state and is commercially obtained from its minerals. Contains not less than 99.5per cent of copper.
Identification: i) An addition of excess of ammonia to a solution in hydrochloric acid produces ultimately a deep blue solution.
ii) When a solution in hydrochloric acid is treated with a solution of potassium ferrocyanide, a reddish brown precipitate is formed.
Assay: Dissolve about 0.25 g. accurately weighted in sufficient quantity of hot concentrated sulphuric acid and dilute to 50 m.. with purified water, add 3 g. of potassium iodide and 5 m.. acetic acid and titrate the liberated iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate, using solution of starch as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate is equivalent to 0.006354 g of Cu.,
Preparation: (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 (a) Cuprum metallicum in fine powder 100 g Saccharum lactis` 900 g To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies; 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x,may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains copper. the soluble salts of copper precipitate proteins from the solution and therefore astringent when applied to mucous membranes and raw surfaces,they have a harsh stringent metallic taste.
It affects the walls of he intestine and stomach. Cases violent vomiting and purging collapse and clammy perspiration,headache,giddiness and unconsciousness.
Standard for Finished product:HPI
Cuprum : Triturate Metallicum Potency : Ix Light reddish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent. w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent of Cu.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Cuprum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Light reddish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent-w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Cu.
Assay : Complies with the essay method given under cuprum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w per cent w/w of Cu.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g.,char in silica crucible to make it ash. Dissolve the ash in insufficient.....follow the method given under Cuprum Metallicum. For titration use 0.01 N sodium thiosulphate. each ml of 0l.01 N sodium thiosulphate solution is equivalent to 0.00064 g of Cu.
Colour test.
Dissolve about 0.55 mother substance in about 10ml of Nitric acid dilute it with water,and use the solution for the test.
Add sodium hydroxide to 1ml solution till alkaline. It gives a blue liquid (Copper) thereby no put recovers.
Add a few drops of sol. to 3 ml. solution, no turbidity occurs.
DIGITALIS PURPUREA (Dig.pur)
Bot.Name: Digitalis Purpurea Linn. Family:Scrophylariaceae.
Description: A biennial, sometimes perennial herb, upon 21 meters height. It bears during the first year, a rosette of redical rugose, somewhat downy leaven 15-30 cms long, ovate to obovate-lanceolate with long winged petioles. From the centre of type leaf resette arises in the second year, a single erect flowering axis with sessile and subsessile leaves terminating in a one sided raceme., Flowers 5.8 cms long, declined,tubular,campanulate, purple, yellow or white; seed small and light.
Microscopical: leaf, bearing in the apex of each marginal tooth one large waterpore,rarely 2 epidermal cells, polygonal, about 30-60 long with smooth cuticle, anticlinal walls slightly wavy on the upper surface, markedly wavy on the lower surface. Covering trichomes, usually 3 to 5 cells long, uniseriate,bluntly pointed and finely warty, sometimes with collapsed cells, glandular trichomes having a unicellular or uniseriate stalk and unicellular or bicellular head. Stomata, of the ranunculaceous type, more numerous on the lower than on the upper surface. Midrib, strong convex below, covered with simple and glandular trichomes containing an arc on radiate xylem; a narrow phloem and a collenchymatous pericycle; Mesophyll with a palisade in one layer occasionally in 2 or d. Some times not differentiated,spongy mesophyll or stellate cell.
Distribution: Cultivated in India, Southern and Central Europe, England Norway, Madeira,and the Azores.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Digitalis purpurea in moderately coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 567 ml.
Strong Alcohol 466 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and give parts STrong Alcohol.
3x and higher with dispensing.
Constituents and Action:
Leaves contain several glycosides of which important are digoxin, digitoxin and digtalin. Digestion is the most potent of test glycosides.
Tannic, inisitol, luteoline present a new cardiotonic glycocide.
Digiconin is isolated from leaves.
The general action of digitalis is shown by its influence on the CNS, and the heart.
Its action on CNS is stimulant in the centre of the medulla oblongata. Vomiting,and the Respiratory centers and the nucleus of the vagus; there result in vomiting quickening and slowing of the heart beat.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Digitalis :Mother tincture Purpurea
Alcohol. content :41.0 to 45.0 Percentv/v
pH :Between 5.50 to 6.50
Sp.gr. :From 0.930 to 0.950
Total Solids :Not less than 1.0 Percent w/v
/\ max :270 nm.
Identification :Carry out TLC of concentrated Mother tincture using n-Butanol; Acetic Acid: water (4;1;1 v/v) as mobile phase under uv light and with Antimony trichloride solution four spots at Rf 0.31,0.62,0.75 and 0.87 appear.
Carry out CO-TLC of mother tincture, digitonin using n.Butanol-Acetic acid and water 4:1:1 v/v as mobile phase and antimony trichloride for spray. Spot corresponding to digitonin appears.
DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA (Dros.rot)
Bot.Name: Drosera Rotundifolia Linn. Family: Droseraceae
History:The name `drosera' is derived from the Greek word "drosera", meaning "dewy". It was introduced in Homoeopathy in 18905 by Hahnemann.
Description: A glandular pubescent herb with tufted basal leaves,clothed with glandular sensitive hair which secrete gelatinous fluid that entraps insects. Leaves spreading on the ground: the blades orbicular or nearly so, 6-12 mm broad abruptly narrowed to a flat petiole, the upper surface clothed with glandular hair. Scape glaborous 1-25 flowers;pedicles 2-4 mm long. Flowers shining in sun 4 mm broad; pentamerous; petals white or reddish, oblong. Capsule scarcely exceeding the sepals,Seeds spindle-shaped, the testa loose.
Distribution : Europe, North America and Asia.
Part Used: Whole Plant.
Preparation: a)Mother tincture Drug stretch 1/10
Drosera rotundifolia in Coarse powder 100g Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture
b)Potencies: 2x to contain on part tincture four parts purified water
Old Method: Class I
Constituents and Action:
It contains magic and citric acids,. rennin and tannin. It acts on the pneumogastric nerve causing spasm of the respiratory muscles, causing cough, simulating whooping cough When administered to cats who are least susceptible to tuberculosis it produced tubercle beneath the pleura; the submaxillary glands are enlarged and peyer's patches get hypertrophied,the mesenteric slants get enlarged,indicating the resemblance to the products of tuberculosis.
Standard fir Finished Product: (HPI)
Drosera :Mother tincture.
rotundifolia
Alcohol content : 57,.0 to 61.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 4.7p to 5.80
Sp.gr. :From 0.890 to o.920
Total Solids : Not less than. 50 Percent W/v
/\ max. :255 and 280 nM
Identification: : Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using Chloroform methanol 9: 1 v/v as mobile phase. It gives six Spots in Uv light as RF 0.24, 0.510.60.,0.64, 0.86 and o.91 (All blue).
DULCAMARA
Bot.Name:Solanum dulcamara Linn. Family:Solanaceae.
History: The "Dulcamara" is taken from "Dulcis" meaning sweet,and `Amarus; meaning `bitter'since the taste is first sweet and then bitter, it was introduced in homoeopathy by Hahnemann in 1811.
Description": A deciduous climbing shrub with a woody, irregularly branched; creeping yellowish green root,swelling like potato,stem woody at base, pubescent above, alternately branched; Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire, alternately branched,Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire the lower ones cordate, the upper hastate or with two ear-like lobes at the base, pubescent beneath. Flowers purple, small lateral, extra axilliary, drooping cymus. berries scarlet, oval and poisonous.
Distribution: In Europe, Asia and North America.
Part Used: Whole plant. Plants growing where the rootlets run into water are preferable.
Macroscopical: In short cylindrical, obliquely or transversely cut pieces from 3 to 10 mm in length and 4-7 mm in diameter outer surface longitudinally striated, more or less warty and occasionally with leaf scars, cut surface exhibiting a thin brownish to greenish brown, dark a broad greenish brown or greenish yellow wood usually showing I or 2 concentric rays and central hollow with area.
Microscopical (powder): Light yellowish brown trachieds up to 112u in diameter and with bordered pores and spiral markings, lignified woody fibers with a few pores; non-lignified bast fibres with wall up to 20u thickness fragments of cork cells, few simple unicellular hair up to 800u in length,few starch grains spheroidal, spheroidal microcrystals.
Preparation:a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/100 Dulcamara in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 350 ml Strong Alcohol 685 ml To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies:2x to contain one part tincture,four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol ex and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old method: Class I
Constituent and Action:
Dulcamara belongs to Solanacea family, to which, Belladonna, Stramonium and Hyoscyamus Capsicum belong. It contains an alkaloid called Solanin to which it owes may of its properties. Solanin depresses and paralyses the vagus-slowing the respiration cause dyspnoea, acceleration of the heart, tachycardia but feeble and thready pulse. The pulmonary tissues get filled with serous exudates and isolated patches of lung become emphysematous. It also produces catarrh in the stomach, intestines, nose,eyes and ears.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Dulcamara = Mother Tincture.
pH = 62 to 66.0 Percent v/v
Sp.Gr. = O.880 to 0.910
Total Solids = Not less than 0.70 Percent w/v
/\ max = 270 and 310 nm
Identification = Carry out TLC of Chloroform Extract using Chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Antimony trichloride Spray reagent one spot appear at Rf.0.84
GLONOINUM (Glon)
Chemical Formula-C3H5N3O9 Molt. Wt.227.07
Description: A colourless, odourless liquid with a sweet burning taste. Almost insoluble in water, readily soluble on alcohol, explodes on concession or rapid heating. Begins to nitrous yellow vapours at 135* and explodes at 218 degree . Prepared by nitrating glycerin with a mixture of nitric acid and sulphuric acid,called nitration acid. Contains not less than 81 percent and not more than 121.0 percent of the labelled amount of glyceryl trinitrate.
Assay: Mix an accurately weighted quantity of the substance equivalent to about 1 mg of glycerol trinitrate with 5 ml of glacial acetic acid,shake continuously for one hour and filter. Mix 1 ml of the filtrate with 2 ml phenol disulphonic acid, stir well, and allow to stand for fifteen minutes. Add about 8ml of water, make alkaline with strong solution of ammonia, cool to about 20*, dilute to 20ml. with water and filter, if necessary. Compare, under similar conditions in a suitable colorimeter, the colour of this solution with the colours of solution containing known quantities of potassium nitrate which have been treated in the same manner. Each g of potassium nitrate is equivalent to 0.7487 g of C3H5(N3O9).
Storage; Keep a well closed container, protected from light and store in cool place.
Preparation Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Glonoinum 100g Strong Alcohol in Sufficient quantity, To make one thousand milliliters of the Mother.
Tincture.
Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituent and Action:
Nitroglycerine is not decomposed in the stomach but is absorbed unchanged with blood, where it is rapidly broken into glycerin and mixture of nitrates and nitrates by the alkalis of the blood. A small quantity in found in urine unaltered.
NO2 radicle is responsible for the physiological action of nitroglycerine. It causes intense headache depresses unstripped muscular fibres specially of blood vessels causing them top dilate with the fall of blood pressure. Heartbeats are accelerated,the pulse becomes quick jerking. Respiration is increased in frequency. With large does it causes consciousness loss, convulsion occur from disturbance of cerebral circulation. A fraction of a drop of Nitroglycerin is sufficient to cause the symptoms.
History: It is a black lead, an allotropic modification of carbon. The trituration of prepared black lead is from the finest English drawing pencils.
Description:A blackish grey, soft, unctuous, lustrous solid composed of hexagonal crystalline scales, odourless less, it's specific gravity is 2.00 2.5 and it is a good conductor of electricity. Next to diamond it is the purest of mineral carbon, and occurs in nature.
Loss on heating: Not more than 1.25 per cent w/w.
Water Soluble Matter: Not more than 1.25.
Determination of Ash: Weigh accurately about 2 g. of the material in a tarred platinum dish and incinerate till the residue in the crucible is constant in weight. Cool in a bisector and weigh. Ash by weight shall not be more than 5.0 per cent.
Preparation: (a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Graphites in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum Lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated;6x may be con verted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a pure substance and contains 0.4 to 0.6 Percent of iron.
It acts chiefly on the skin, mucous membrane and nervous system. the large secreting and excreting organs are not directly influenced by it.
Graphites in crude state is insoluble and heart but when triturated and raised to the higher potencies, become and important antipsoric and valuable remedy in many chronic diseases.
Chemical Symbol:CaS:
History: It was introduced by Hahnemann in 1794 and was given internally to remove the bad effects of excess of mercury.
Description:A white, porous, friable mass or a white amorphous powder, odour and taste of sulphuretted hydrogen. It is insoluble in cold water or strong alcohol,soluble in hot hydrochloric acid with evolution of hydrogen sulphide. It is prepared according to Hahnemann's directions; mix equal a weight of clean and finely powdered oyster shells and well-mashed flower of sulphur, placing them in a hermetically closed clay crucible, and keeping mixture at a white heat for at least ten minutes. The product is to be cooled and pulverized.
Identification: It responds to all the reactions characteristic of calcium and of sulphides.
Storage: Preserve in well-closed glass-stoppered bottles and protect from light.
Preparation: (a)Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Hepar Sulphur in coarse white amorphous powder Saccharum Lactis to make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
(b)Potencies:2x AND HIGHER TO be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is an impure form of sulphide of calcium. The action is due to both components; calcium has inflammatory influence over the respiratory, glandular system, whereas the sulphur component has on the skin and alimentary tract and tissue. Both the elements affect the connective tissue.
HYOSCYAMUS NIGER (Hyos. nig.)
Bot.Name:Hyoscyamus Niger Linn. Family:Solanaceae
Description: A coarse herb clothed with viscid hair, annual or usually biennial, up to 0.5 ,meter,with fusiform roots, leaves oblong, five to eight cm. long, irregularly sinute toothed or pinnatified, the lower petiolate the other more or less clasping,and simple, one-sided;terminal spikes corolla greenish- yellow,purple -veined capsule about 2.25 cm long, enclosed in the enlarging calyx. The seeds are more or less odourless and are slightly bitter to taste. They contain an amber-coloured oil.
Microscopical: Leaf:Trichomes numerous, particularly above and below main veins and glands,each with uniseriate stalk of 2 to 6 cells and up to 500u long, and a large oval multi-cellular head. Epidermis consisting of cells, with sinuous anticlinal walls and smooth cuticle. Stomata, about 125 per sq. mm. in the adaxial epidermis, more frequent in palisade cells. Single or twined prismatic crystals about 5 to 20u long or a cluster of few components in each of a number of collecting cells, forming a crystal layer, crystals present in occasional idioblasts adjoining the veins. Midrib, with the adaxial epidermis often separated.
contain an arc of several bicollateral vascular bundles and no collenchyma except as a bundle sheath. Stem with trichomes and in the leaf;cortical collenchyma upto 10 cells thick, an endodermis containing starch, small phloem without fibers with linear pits and annular. Spiral or reticulate vessels, internal phloem in a network showing as isolated strands in transverse section. Calyx with trichomes and stomata as in leaf. Corolla with trichomes on the outer epidermis especially on the lower veins, inner epidermis glaborous; veins with spiral trachieds and cells containing bluish anthocyanin. Anthers with conspicuous thickened bands in the endothecium.
Distribution: In India, found from Kashmir to Garhwal in the Himalayas, Europe and America.
Parts Used: Whole plant of second year's growth. Moisture content of fresh plant 450 ml.per 100 g. solids.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Hyoscyamus Niger in moderately coarse powder Purified Water Strong Alcohol To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies 2x to contain one part of tincture, four parts of purified water, five parts strong alcohol;3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method:Class I.
Constituents and Action Hyoscyamine is its chief alkaloid.
Hyoscyamus and its alkaloids correspond closely both botanically and chemically to Belladonna. Functionally its action is much pronounced and its range is much more restricted than that of Belladonna. For the mechanics of its action reference may be made to that drug (Belladonna).
Standard for Finished product : (HPI)
Hyoscyamus Niger:Mother tincture
Alcohol content :52.0 56.0 Percent v/v.
Specific gr. :From 0.93 to 0.945
pH :Between 6.0 to 6.8
Total solids :Not less than 1.0 Percent w/w
/\ max :260 nm.
Identification : 1.Colour Test:Mix 10 ml. of mother tincture with 10ml. of distilled water and 1ml. of concentrated ammonia solution and precipitated with 20ml.
ether. Dry the ether phase on sodium and filter, evaporate the ether and rinse with 0.5 ml. fuming nitric acid again evaporate to dryness and add 10ml. acetone and a few drops of 3 Percent ethanolic solution of potassium hydroxide-violent colour appears.
2.Carry out TLC of Chloroform extract using acetone:water:ammonia 90:7:3 w/v as mobile phase and Dragan dorff's reagent as spray reagent.
The spots (orange red) correspond with standard atropine and scopalamine.
HYPERICUM PERFORATUM (Hyper)
Bot.Name:HYPERICUM perforatum Linn.
Family:Hypericaceae
History: The name "hypericum' is derived from `hyper' meaning above and "elcon' meaning `image' because the superior part of the flower represents a figure. It was introduced in Homoeopathic practice by Dr. Mueller in 1837.
Description: A perennial herb with woody branches, dark brown root;Stem 30cm or more in height, much branched, producing runners from the base, somewhat two edged and smooth; Leaves opposite, entire, oblong, punctate, with numerous scattered pellucid dots;flowers deep yellow in terminal, open, leafy cymes. The herb has a characteristic balsamic odour and a bitter resinous somewhat astringent taste.
Distribution: India (Himalayan region), Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America.
Part Used: Whole plant.
Preparation: (1) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Hypericum perforatum in moderately course powder 100g Purified Water 250ml.
Strong Alcohol 780 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture.
(2) Potencies:2x to contain one part tincture two parts purified water, seven parts strong alcohol; ex and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class III
Constituent and Action:
It contains 0.5 Percent or 7 Percent glucoside Hyperine.
Hypericum acts on the cerebro-spinal nervous system causing hyperaemia resulting into highly irritated and sensitive condition of parts freely supplied with nerves.
It probably acts on the nerve sheaths and the meninges and causes stitching and tearing pains along the course of the nerves. The provers show that by the pain experienced in the back,chest and limbs.
Standard for Finished product: (HPI)
Hypericum :71.0 to 75.0 Percent v/v Perforatum
pH :Between 4.4 to 6.0
Sp.gr. :From 0.875 to 0.885
Total solids :Not less than 0.6
/\ max :275 nm
Identification :(a) Colour test: To I ml Mother tincture add a few drops of ferric chloride solution a blackish green precipitate forms.
Add 2ml of the mother tincture to 2ml distilled water and 2ml ether. Shake and observe under Uv light a Bright red fluorescence in ether layer is observed. On adding concentrated Sulphuric Acid, yellow green fluorescence appears.
(B)Carry out TLC of Mother tincture using chloroform methanol (80:20) v/v) a mobile phase. In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf= 0.61 and 0.894.
IGNATIA AMARA (Ign)
Bot.Name:Strychnos ignatia Berg. Family: :Loganiaceae
Description: A small tree,stem erect., branches opposite, glaborous, leaves petiolate,ovate, opposite, acute, 12.5-18 cm long. Flowers pear shaped numerous, white, long, in small axillary panicles having the odour of jasmine. Fruit pear shaped having seeds 20-24 in number,m embedded in a bitter pulp. Seeds having a shape like almond but irregular, apparently from compression white soft, blackish gray or clear brown in colour with a brownish horny, translucent shell, very hard and difficult to split, appearing glaborous, but having fine down odorless with a lasting bitter taste
Distribution: Found in Philippine islands and in China.
Part used: the bean
Macroscopical: Beans are heavy, hard, angularly ovate with obtuse angles,from 20to 30 mm in length and about 15 mm in breadth and thickness, externally greyish or reddish black nearly smooth with few or no hair,fracture granular and translucid in small fragments, a small irregular cavity in the centre.
Microscopical"Greyish brown, exhibiting thin cells of the epidemics and the subjacent layer of the seed cost, polygonal cells with thickened pitted walls, hair characteristic, spreading and thickened at the base and heavy liner marking endosperm tissue, the outer cells small;contents granular, the inner larger,with thickened walls, lumen irregular in size and shape.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ignatia amara in fine power 100 g.
Purified Water 150ml.
Strong Alcohol. 870 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
(c) Trituration:1x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
St.Ignatius bean contains a smaller quantity of strychnine Nux vomica. It also contains brucin. The action of ignatia is best seen in sensitive, excitable subjects of mild temperament.
It acts specially on the medulla oblongata and the spinal nervous system,giving rise to titanic convulsions and dyspnoea. This may end in death.
The entire nervous system gets morbidly affected, making the system sensitive,so that there is intense acuteness of sensation and of special senses. It increases the susceptibility to external impressions-mental and physical.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Ignatia amara :Mother tincture.
Alcohol content :77.0 to 81.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5.4 to 6.0
Sp.gr. :From 0.850 to 0.905
Total Solids :Not less than 0.80 Percent w/v
umax :244 and 310 (b) nm.
Identification :Carryout TLC Chloroform extract, using Chloroform methanol (9.1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light four spots appear at Rf.0.06, 0.41, 0.76, and 0.90; with antimony trichloride reagent two spots appear at Rf.0.90 (Pink); and 0.96 (Brown).
IPECACUANHA (Ipecac.)
Bot. Name:Caphaelia ipecacuanha (Brot) a Rich; Family:Rubiaceae.
History: Ipecacuanha is a Portuguese term.
Its Brazilian Indian term is Ipeka-guene-meaning `Creeping plant' causing vomiting. Plant was described in 1648. But the source was not in own until 1600. Hahnemann introduced it in 1805.
Description: A half shrubby perennial plant. Stem up to I meter long, partly underground, smooth grey at base, pubescent and green above. Leaves opposite, petiolate, obovate, acute, entire, blackish-green,somewhat rough above, pale downy and veined beneath, 7-10 cm. long 2.5-5 cm. broad with large stipules. Flowers small, white sessile, in dense head on axillary, but apparently terminal peduncles, surrounded by an involucre of four bracts.
Distribution:Cultivated in India, Brazil and South America.
Macroscopical:Root, somewhat tortuous pieces,seldom more than 15 cm long, 0.6 mm thick; from dark brick-red to very dark brown;closely annulated external ridges rounded and completely encircling the root;fracture,short in the bark and splintery in the wood, the smoothed transverse surface showing a wide grayish bark and a small uniformly dense wood. Rhizomes short length attacked to roots, cylindrical, upto 1 mm in diameter,finally wrinkled longitudinally and with pith approximately one sixth of the whole diameter.
Microscopical:Root;l bark consisting of a thin thin brown cork layer, a wide parenchyma containing much starch with many compound grains of 2 to 8 components and some simple grains, individual grains rarely more than 15 in diameter, also wedges projecting into the parenchyma; xylem consisting mainly of trachieds with linear pits and small vessels frequently with round lateral perforations, and dignified secondary medullary rays containing starch grains.
Rhizome: Vascular tissue peripheral;pericycle with thick walled pitted sclereids;protoxylem with spiral vessels. Xylem with fibres having linear slits, medulla with isodiametric lignified cells with rather thin walls.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ipecacuanha in fine powder 100g Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 834 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Emetine is the active alkaloid.
It has a specific influence on the digestive tract causing vomiting and diarrhoea. It increases secretion of blue.
Locally it produces dermatitis going on to pustulations. It is an uncertain anti-septic,destroying, for example, anthrax bacilli but not its spores.
Standard for Finished Products:HPI
Ipecacuanha :Mother tincture
Alcohol content :72.0 to 76.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 3.5 to 5.5
Sp.gr. :From 0.860 to 0.880
Total solids :Not less than 0.87 Percent w/v
umax :275 nm.
Identification : (a)Colour Test To 1ml of Mother tincture add few drops of Mayer's Reagent.
a white turbidity appears.
To 1 ml of mother tincture add few drops of sodium hydroxide or ammonia solution turning reddish brown.
(b) Carryout TLC of chloroform Methanol 9: 1v/v a mobile phase Under Uv light five spots appear at Rf=0.10;0.23;0.61,0.72 and 0.84 (All blue) On spraying with Dragndorff's reagent six spots appear at Rf 0.10 0.23 0.42 0.610.70 and 0.84 (all orange).
KALI CARBONICUM (Kali Carb)
Chemical Symbol:K2CO3 Mol.Wt.138.213
Description:A white granular powder,odorless and hygroscopic deliquescent in air, odorless,having a strong alkaline taste. It is readily soluble in water but insoluble in alcohol. Its aqueous solution is quite alkaline. It was originally prepared from the ashes of plants. It is obtained by heating potassium bicarbonate, which is obtained by passing carbon dioxide in the solution of potassium hydroxide;contains not less than 98 per cent K2CO2.
Identification: (i) It gives a white, granular precipitate with an excess of tartaric acid which is soluble in dilute mineral acids.
(ii)It responds to the tests characteristic o potassium and of carbonates.
Arsenic: Not more than 2 parts per million.
Heavy metals: Not more than 0.6 parts per million.
Iron Sulphates: Not more than 10 parts per million. solution neutralised with dilute sulphuric acid contains not more than 10 parts per million.
Assay: Dissolve about 2g. of the dried substance, accurately weighted in 25 ml of water and I drop of solution of methyl orange and literate with 1N hydrochloric acid solution until the yellow colour changes to an orange one. Then heart the solution and boil it for 2-3 minutes. After cooling, if the yellow colour reappears continue titrating until the yellow colour changes to pink. Each ml of 1N hydrochloric acid solution is equivalent to 0.06910 of K2 CO3.
Storage: Keep in completely filled and well-closed container.
Preparation (a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Kali Carbonicum in granules Saccharum Lactis To make one thousand Grammes of the trituration.
(b) Potencies:2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action.
Carbonate of Potash is not much used in ordinary practice,though it occasionally figures in prescriptions an antacid and was at one time used for whooping cough and externally for pruritus.
It appears to have a direct depressant action on muscular tissue, when administered intravenously, lessening the force of the heart's action and ultimately arresting it in the diastole. At first it stimulates metabolism by increasing the oxidation of proteins and fats. The excretion the total nitrogen excretion is increased.
Standard for finished product (HPI)
Kali Carbonicum : Trituration
Potency : ix White amorphous powder contains not less than 9.3 Percent w/w to not more than 10.3 Percent w/w of K2Co3
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Kali Carbonicum
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.93 Percent w/w to not more than 1.03 Percent w/w o K2Co3
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5g. dissolve in 25ml. of water follow the assay method given under Kali Carbonicum For titration use 0.1N Hydrochloric Acid Each ml of 0-1N Hydrochloric Acid is Equivalent to 0.00696g of K2Co3
Potency :3x White amorphous powder contains not less than 0.093 Percent w/w to not more than p.103 Percent w/w of K2Co3
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20g., dissolve in 100ml. of water. Add one drop of methyl orange solution and titrate with 001N Hydrochloric acid until the yellow colour change to orange red. Then the solution is boiled for 2/3 minutes. After cooling yellow colour reappears. Continue titrating till the yellow colour changes to pink. Each ml of 0-01N Hcl is equivalent to 0.00069g of K2Co3.
LACHESIS (Lach)
Zool. Name: Crotalus (Lach) Family:Crotalidae.
History:Lachesis was introduced by Dr. C. Hering.
Description:The lachesis or bush master inhabits the hot countries of South America: it attains a length of more than seven feet,and its poison fangs are nearly one inch long. The skin is reddish brown,marked along the back with large rhomboidal spots of blackish brown colour,each of which encloses two spots of the colour of the body. The poison resembles saliva,is less viscous, limpid, inodorous,without any marked taste, in colour some what greenish at the extremity of the fang;it easily forms into drops and falls without threading;exposed to the air it soon concentrated into a dry,yellow mass,which for an indefinite time preserves it poisonous qualities. This poison introduced into a wound, or injected into a vein produces the most dreadful symptoms,and generally death. the venom of there is serpent has been more carefully proved than that of any other. The specimen used by Dr. Hering in his experiments was obtained from the living snake which was sunned with a blow;the poison was collected on sugar by pressing the poison fang upwards against the bag, and the three first attentions were prepared by trituration.
Part Used: Venom
Storage: It should be stored in glycerin
Preparation:a) Trituration Drug strength 1/100 Lachesis venom collected as directed 10g Saccharum lactis 900g To make on thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies:3x and higher to be triturated;6x may be con vertex to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Old Method: Class VIII.
Constituents and Action:
The direct action of he venom on the nerve centre without local inflammation or blood changes is seen in the cord and then in medulla,affecting the functional integrity of the brain, the pneumogastric causing cardiac and respiratory arrest. There may be instantaneous death.
If the victim survives the first shock,tendencies to haemorrhage are seen;oozing of dark black blood.
The seat of injury rapidly turns into foul ulcer by absorption of the venom through the vein.
The bite of he snake will suggest the character of the ailments which call for its use. They re fevers of low grace,septic and zymotic conditions attended by alarming prostration, relaxation of muscle, disorganization of blood, phlegmonous inflammation with them ichorous discharge,violent disturbances of circulation exaggerated reflexes paralysis and coma.
LYCOPODIUM CALVATUM (Lyc)
Bot. Name:Lycopodium clavatum Linn. Family:Lycopodiaceae
History:The name Lycopodium is derived firm Lucos meaning wolf,pea-meaning foot.
The shoots have an appearance like wolf foot. Clavatum is Club "The spore-bearing portion looks like a club. Therefore club-moss is the common name. Introduced to Homoeopathy after proving in 1828, by Hahnemann.
Description: A perennial, ever-green club-moss with a trailing branching stem, several meters lone,and thickly beset with linear-awl-shaped,flat, ribless,smooth leaves, tied with fine bristle, curved upward,and of a light green in pairs, with crowded, ovate,entire pointed scales,bearing in the axil a transversely oval sporagium which splits nearly to the base and contains the narrow reticulate spores. Spores are pale yellow and form very mobile powder. Spores are odorless and restless.
Distribution:Found from Kumaon eastwards in Bengal, Sikkim, Assam,khasi Khushai hills, Manipur and in Western Ghats of India. also in Europe and U.S.A.
Part Used: The spores.
Microscopical: Each spore is covered by an internal thin intine and an external considerably thick exine with a germ pore. When the spores are crushed the ruptured spores yield small drop of fixed oil. Spores are very uniform in shape and size,maximum width from 21 to 30 microns,being most commonly about 25 microns, each spore having the shape of triangular pyramid with a convex base, being the fourth part of the sphere divided by plane surfaces radiating from raised ridges,the meshes being four to six-sided; the three flat, triangular surfaces have a similar network near the mark the lines of union of the flat faces.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Lycopodium Clavatum 100 g (spores crushed)
Strong alcohol in sufficient quantity To make on thousand milliliters of the tincture.
b)Potencies:2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
It was introduced by Hahnemann and according to him, trituration is the best method of preparation. The spore contains an oil which is responsible for the medicinal action. The outer covering of the spore for two hours for raising it by one potency.
Constituents and Action:
It contains 50 Percent fat, glycerides, smaller amount of palmitic and linoleic acids.
It acts on gastro-intestinal tract reducing the process of digestion, causing flatulence and constipation. It causes congestion of the liver and later it causes its hypertrophy. In the glandular system it causes congestion and induration.
Standard of Finished product: (HPI)
Lycopodium :Mother tincture Clavatum
Alcohol Content :91.0 to 95.0 Percent v/v
pH :Between 5-20 to 5-80
Sp.gr :From 0.810 to 0.840
Total Solids :Not less than ).35 Percentw/v
/\max :264(b) nm.
Identification :(a) Colour test Evaporate 0.5 ml of mother tincture in a porcelain dish on water bath, to dryness add two drops of sulphuric acid to the residue. Fresh golden yellow, and then violet colour is formed.
(b) Carry out Tlc of chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v( as mobile phase. In iodine vapour four spots appear at Rf=0.16, 0.18, 0.38, and 0.97.
MERCURIUS CORROSIVUS (Merc. cor.)
Chemical Symbol:Hg Cl2 Mol wt.:271.496
Description:A heavy, white, crystalline mass of rhombic prisms odourless and of a strong metallic taste. It is soluble in 13.5 parts of water,in 2.1 parts of boiling water in 3.8 pores of alcohol. When heated to, 277 it changes to commonly prepared by the direct combination of mercury and chlorine. It contains not less than 99.5 per cent of Hg Cl2
Identification:An aqueous solution responds to the reactions characteristic of mercuric salts and of chlorides.
Assay:Dissolve in a stoppered flash about 0.3 g, accurately weighted in 85 ml of water, and 10ml of solution of calcium chloride,10ml of solution of sodium hydroxide. Shake continuously for two minutes,add 20 ml of acetic acid and 35 ml of 0.1 N iodine. Shake continuously for about ten minutes or until the precipitated mercury is completely redissolved and titrate the excess of iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulphate,using starch solution as indicator. Each ml of 0.1 N iodine is equivalent to 0.01358g. of HgCl2
Preparation a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Mercurius Corrosivus in coarse 100g powder Strong Alcohol in sufficient quantity To make one thousand millitres of the tincture.
b)Potency: 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a bichloride of mercury and known as corrosive sub-limate.
It is a highly corrosive and irritating salt of mercury. It is destructive to mucus membranes. It causes large scale destruction in intestine and rectum. Its action is extended to ascending, transverse and descending colons, and peritoneum, tubes and ovaries.
It has irritating effect on the kidneys, producing albuminous, scanty and bloody urine.
Potency :1x White amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w w/v to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w/ w/v of Hgcl2 Assay :Complies with the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
Potency :2x white amorphous powder or colourless liquid. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w or w/v to not more than 1.05 per cent w/v or w/v of Hgcl2.
Assay : Dissolve about 5g accurately weighed in 85 ml of water .... follow the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
Potency : 3x
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g, char in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 85ml of water .... follow the assay method given under Mercurius Corrosivus.
MERCURIUS SOLUBILIS (Merc. sol.)
History: Mercurius solubilis was a preparation made by Hahnemann in order to enable him to administer milder form of mercury than the corrosive salts of mercury in use in his days. It is prepared by precipitating mercury from its solution in nitric acid by means of caustic ammonia and is not pure mercury.
Mercurius Vivus is a trituration of pure mercury with sugar of milk. Both are in common use and their actions are indistinguishable.
Description: A heavy, grayish-black powder, taste slightly metallic. It is insoluble in water, alcohol and ether. It is volatilised by heat with decomposition. It contains no metallic globules.
Mercury (by weight) 85 g Nitric Acid 48 ml.
Ammonia, strong solution 15 ml.
Purified Water in sufficient quantity.
Mix nitric acid with 235 ml. of purified water in a flask and digest mercury in mixture, applying gradually, increasing heat until about 70 g of the metal has dissolved and a small portion of solution diluted with about twenty times its bulk of Purified Water yields a perfectly black precipitate with ammonia. Dilute the hot solution with 350 ml of Purified Water, while warm, filter it into a vessel containing four times its bulk of cold purified water. Having thoroughly mixed the filtrate with the Purified water, add the solution of ammonia previously diluted with 290 ml of purified water in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, as soon as the precipitate has subsided, decant the supernatant liquid, shake the precipitate with a fresh portion of purified water collect it on a filter, wash thoroughly and dry it between folds of filter paper without heat.
Storage: Keep in well-stoppered bottles, protected from light.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Mercurius solubilis precipitate 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Mercury is a tonic, purgative, cholagogue, alter-native, antiphlogestic and sorbefacient. Some of its salts are corrosive poisons and local poisons.
The metal is inert but in combination with body fluids it becomes poisonous and enters the blood circulation, producing numerous functional and destructive changes in the organs, tissues and blood itself.
In small does mercury is a tonic, and improved red blood corpuscles and the general condition of health, with gain in weight.
The continued use of small doses overstimulates lymphatic system, producing waste and retrogrative processes If mercury treatment is continued for long, definite symptoms of mercurial poisoning appear, for example reduction of red blood corpuscles and albumin content, and defective coagulation.
In the nervous system mercury causes tremors and epileptic form of seizures followed by coma and death. It eliminates very slowly from the system.
MEZEREUM (Mez)
Bot. Name: Daphne mezereum Linn. Family: Thymeliaceae
Description: A deciduous shrub, 1.3 meter in height with smooth grey-bark easily detachable from wood. Leave 5 cm long, alternate petiolate, lanceolate, entire, smooth, green, somewhat glaucous beneath. Flowers fragrant, purple rose coloured, and are in lateral clusters. The fruit is a berry.
(D I A G R A M of Mezereum)
Macroscopical: The bark inflexible, tough, somewhat flattened strips or quilled pieces up to 90 cm. in length of variable breadth and up to 10 mm in thickness dark coloured apothecia of lichens; fracture tough, fibrous, the inner bark lamellated.
Microscopical: Transverse section treated in chloral hydrate solution shows; Cork usually forming a broad zone of 20-30 layers of cells the outer being compressed and yellowish brown, the inner being tubular and nearly colourless. Cork-cambium of meristematic cells. Cortex, the outer 3-5 rows of cells of which are collenchymatous and contain either choroplastids or a greenish yellow resinous substance. Phloem a comparatively broad zone separated into phloem patches by means of narrow starch containing medullary rays 1-cell wide. Each phloem patch contains striking areas of bark loosely arranged groups of nonlignified bast fibres and sieve strands.
Distribution: Europe, especially in Central countries.
Part Used : The bark.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Mezereum in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand milliliters of the tincture. b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a bitter substance - a glycoside. In large doses it is a dangerous and instant poison causing redness and varication of the skin, when left in contact with it for some time. When swallowed dryness and burning in the throat - vomiting - and occasional irritation of kidney develops.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Mezereum : Mother Tincture
Alcohol : 75.0 to 79.0 v/v.
pH : Between 4.5 to 5.2
Sp. gr. : From 0.850 to 0.910.
Total Solids : Not less than o.8 Percent w/v.
/\ max : 275 nm.
Identification : Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9.1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf: 0.16, 0.35, 0.68, 0.75 and 0.92.
NATRUM MURIATICUM (Nat. mur.)
Chemical Symbol: Na Cl Mol.wt. : 58.443
Description: A colourless, transparent, cubical crystal, or a white crystalline powder; odourless with a saline taste. It is stable in air. It is soluble in 2.8 parts of water; slightly soluble in alcohol and insoluble in hydrochloric acid. Its aqueous solution is practically neutral. Its specific gravity is 2.163. It fuses at about 804* . It is found in nature and in its purest form is obtained by passing hydrochloric acid gas into saturated solution of the salt, thus separating ........
the crystals. Contains not less than 99.5 percent of Na Cl with reference to substance dried to constant weight at 130*.
Identification: (i) A solution of sodium chloride responds to the tests characteristic of sodium and of chloride (ii) 10 g. dissolves completely in 50 ml. of water to give a clear solution.
Arsenic: Not more than 1 part per million.
Barium: Dissolve 2.0 g. in 10 ml. of water and add 2 ml. of dilute sulphuric acid; the solution remains clear for two hours.
Lead: Not more than 5 parts per million.
Loss of drying: Loses not more than 1.0 per cent of its weight when dried to constant weight at 130*.
Assay: Weigh accurately about 0.25 and dissolve in about 50 m. of water and titrate with 0.1N silver nitrate using solution of potassium chromate as indicator. Each ml. of 0.1 N silver nitrate, is equivalent to 0.005845 g. of NaCl.
Storage: Preserve sodium chloride in a well closed container.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/100 Natrum Muriaticum in crystals 100 g Saccharum Lactis 900 g
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Natrum muriaticum or common salt, is more widely distributed in nature than any other substance except water. It is present in all the tissues and fluids of the human body, and is the most important of the chemical substance found in the blood-plasma being present in the proportion of 0.7 per cent. It is the great regulator of osmotic tension in the organism, and by this means performs one of its chief functions, viz., keeping the blood- serum at a uniform specific gravity. There are about 11 oz. of salt in the ....
human body. Any excess of this quantity introduced into the system is at once excreted by the kidneys, or, if the excreting power of the kidneys is impaired, is deposited in the tissues where, by its power of attracting water, it causes generalized or localized oedema. Salt is a powerful stimulant of metabolism, increases the capillary circulation of fluids, both of blood and lymph, and is a diuretic. It also acts as a stimulant to motor activity. Two grammes of salt daily in the food are all that is required to replenish the daily waste, but many people take more than this. Usually the excess is simply drained off by the kidneys, but it their salt-excreting function is in any way impaired retention of salt in the tissues (not in the blood) results, and symptoms of salt poisoning follow. The first symptom is a progressive hydration of the tissues, which causes the patient to gain weight before any perceptible oedema can be detected. Manifest oedema follows and distends the subcutaneous tissues so that they pit on pressure by the finger, and, more serious than this, oedema of the viscera occurs, and may be shown by dyspnoea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, Chyne-Stokes respiration, or attacks of eclampsia according as the incubus falls on the lungs digestive apparatus or the nerve centres. Death has occurred from oedema of the lungs and from oedema of the brain causing coma.
Sodium chloride modifies the toxicity of microbial excretions and is attracted to toxins present in the tissues; at the same time it attracts water, and it is in this way that the presence of toxins in the tissues causes oedema. Salt solutions are absorbed but little in the stomach and largely in the bowels; the more hypotonic they are the quicker are they absorbed.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Natrum :Trituration Muriaticum
Potency :1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of NaCl
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Natrum Muriaticum.
Potency :2x White amorphous powder. Contains not ...
less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of NaCl.
Assay : Dissolve about 5 g. accurately weighed in 50 ml. ... follow the assay method given under Natrum Muriaticum.
Potency :3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent w/w to not more than 0.0105 per cent w/w of NaCl.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make its ash. Dissolve the ash in 25 ml. of water and titrate with 0.01N silver nitrate using potassium chromate as indicator. Each ml of 0.01N silver nitrate is equivalent to 0.000505 g of NaCl.
NUX VOMICA (Nux vom.)
Bot. Name: Strychnos nux-vomica Linn. Family: Loganiaceae
Description: A deciduous tree, usually medium sized but sometimes attaining 30 meters in height, often armed with short axillary spines. Bark thin, grey, smooth, or rough with lenticels. Young shoots polished, deep green Leaves 7-15 cm long, broadly elliptic obtuse or acute, entire, 3-6 nerved glabrous and shining, petioles 6-12 mm long. Flowers many, greenish white, in terminal short peduncled, pubescent, compound cymes. Calyx 2.5 mm long, 5 acute. Corolla less than 12 mm long, glabrous or nearly so outside; tube cylindric, hairy inside towards the base, lobes 5, narrowly oblong, acute. Stamens 5, half exerted from the corolla tube, oblong, glabrous. Ovary glabrous. Berry globose, 2.5-7.5 cm. in diam., rough and shining, clothed on both sides with fine silky hairs radiating from the centre.
Macroscopical: Seeds, grey or greenish grey, disc-shaped, nearly flat umbonate but sometimes irregularly bent, 10-3 mm in diameter and 4 to 6 mm thick; margin rounded or somewhat acute, hilum raised and connected to the micro-pyle by radial ridge. Surface, silky, densely covered, with ....
( D I A G R A M of Nux Vomica )
radiately arranged, closely appressed, outwardly directed, lignified trichomes; endosperm, translucent, horny, having a central disc-shaped cavity, in which adjacent to the micropyle, lies the embryo, with 2 small, thin, cordate, 5 to 7 nerved cotyledons and terete radicle.
Microscopical: Testa, of one integument, outer epidermis, of lignified thick walled cells with sinuous polygonal outlines in surface view, small branched lumina and oblique linear pits, each cell prolonged externally into a closely appressed trichome upto 1mm long. The wall, having about 10 strongly lignified longitudinal ribs of the thickening; remainder of the testa consisting of flattened parenchyma, appearing in section as a brown band. In the region of the hilum, some very small spiral vessels occur components of a short vascular strand. Endosperm with very thick walled homicellulosic polyhedral cell with pits but connected by plasmodesmal strands and containing oil plasma and aleurone grains upto about 30 u in diameters. Embryo of small parenchymatous cells with oil and small aleurone grains.
Distribution: It grows in dry deciduous forests of Western Ghats and Himalayas.
Parts used : Seed.
Preparation: (a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Nux Vomica in moderately coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
(b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Nux Vomica seeds contain strychnine and nearly the allied alkaloid brucine, for action, principle being strychnine C21 H22 H2 O2.
Strychnine has a powerful stimulant action on the CNS specially on the spinal cord. First there is a feeling of stiffness, in the muscles of the neck, face. Reflex action is so much increased that a slight touch evokes a sudden and violent movement. This increased movement is accompanied by restlessness. Tremors and involuntary movements are noticed. At the beginning of the convulsion the muscles are tonically contracted, hard and firm. But soon tremors develop and the muscles go into relaxation, soon a second convulsion ensues. As a rule, after a few convulsion death ensue, from asphyxia due to respiratory failure. Strychnine causes flow of saliva and increased appetite. It is absorbed from intestines and increases the movements of the bowels.
Standard for finished product :(HPI)
Nux Vomica : Mother tincture.
Alcohol content : 72.0 to 76.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 to 6.0
Sp.gr. : From 0.850 to 0.900.
Total Solids : Not less than 0.89 Percent w/v.
max : 238 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test: To 2 ml. mother tincture add a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid and a a few drops of Meyer's Reagent yellow colour appears.
(b) Evaporates 20 ml mother tincture on a water bath to remove alcohol.
Make alkaline with ammonia solution.
and extract thrice with 20 ml. chloro- form concentrate the chloroforms extract/with standard brucine and strychnine using cyclohexane and carryout CO TLC of Chloroform Extract with standard brucine and strychnine using cyclohexane: Chloro- form: Ethylamine (5:4:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragndorff's reagent as spray reagent. Two spots corresponding to brucine and strychnine appear.
OPIUM (Opium)
Bot.name: Papaver Somniferum Linn. Family: Papaveraceae
History: `Opium' is Latin name-meaning "Piece of the Poppy' somnus, meaning sleep and hence the name. The medical properties were known before Christian era.
Distribution: India.
Part Used: Gummy juice.
Description: A glaucous annual, usually quite glabrous, rarely branched. Leaves oblong anplexicaul. lobed; lobes .....
dentate. Flowers large, white, sometimes purplish or scarlet. Capsule stalked, 2.5 cm. in diam; globose, glabrous; stigmatic rays 5.12. Seeds white or black.
Macroscopical: Indian opium cubical pieces; wrapped in tissue paper, varying from hard and brittle to plastic, internally, dark brown, smooth and homogenous.
Microscopical: In the residue left after exhaustion with water, the following structures are usually found: a few fragments of the other epidermis of the poppy capsule; epidermal cells small, for 5 or 6-sided with strongly thickened walls, stomata, few, large of the ranunculaceous type; fragments of poppy leaf; showing upper epidermis of thin-walled polygonal cells with no stomata. Lower epidermis of cells with slightly wavy walls, stomata, numerous large, of the ranunculaceous type; fragments of mesophyll and vascular bundles.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Opium in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tinctures, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains about 25 alkaloids. Chief alkaloids are Morphine, Codeine Narcotine, Narcine and Papavarine. Dry opium contains 40 Percent total alkaloids, whereas Morphine is 10 Percent and the rest are in low quantity.
Opium acts on the brain, causing intense congestion and profound coma. It produces complete anesthesia of the posterior part of spinal cord. The pupils become greatly contracted because of its action of the occulomotor centre.
It causes obstinate constipation and diminishes the secretion and increases the solids which are the formation of the faeces in hard black balls.
Identification: Colour Test 2 ml. of tincture is acidified by 2 drops ....
of sulphuric Acid, add 1 ml. Mayer's reagent, yellowish precipitate settles down with turbid solution (Alkaloids).
PHOSPHORUS (Phos)
Chemical Symbol: P At. wt. 30.974
Description: It is colourless or pale yellow, semi-translucent or transparent with waxy lusture and consistency at ordinary temperature; odour disagreeable and tasteless. It is brittle and crystalline at low temperature but soft and pliable at ordinary temperature. When exposed to air, it emits white fumes, which are luminous in the dark and have garlicky odour. It is almost insoluble in water, soluble in 400 parts of absolute alcohol. Its specific gravity is 1.82 melts at about 44*. It is obtained in the crude state from calcined bones.
Identification: When heated at about 55* C it ignites spontaneously with a brilliant white flame.
Storage: Keep under water in strong, well-closed containers in a cool place and protected from light. Handle carefully with forceps.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/667
Introduce 2 grammes of Phosphorus into a flask containing 100 ml. of strong alcohol. Heat over a water bath till the phosphorus melts and then shake vigorously till the excess Phosphorus solidifies. This saturated drug solution will be equal in drug strength to about one art in six hundred and sixty seven (1/667). To compensate for loss by oxidation and to retain the full strength of the solution a small piece of Phosphorus should be kept in each bottle containing the tincture, and be removed whenever coated with the amorphous variety.
b) Potency: 3x to contain two parts of tincture, one part of Strong Alcohol. 4x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Phosphorus is an element insoluble in water and body fluids. but when taken in mass and is dissolved ......
in oil and fats, it induces fatal poisoning, even in 2 grain quantity.
Primarily it acts on the nervous system-causing hyper- sensitivity.
It has profound action on circulation and blood vessels, causing passive congestion, ebullitions echymoses, petechiae. It disintegrates red blood corpuscles and destroys the power of coagulation.
It affects the liver, causing fatty degeneration, resembling that of chloroform poisoning.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
PHOSPHORUS : Mother Tincture (Contains not less that 0.15 per cent w/v to not more than 0.16 per cent w/v of phosphorus)
Alcohol Content : 91.0 to 95.0 per cent v/v Dry about 10g accurately weighed on water bath and from the residue proceed as given in the schoniger oxygen flask method.
Identification : Colour Test Impregnate the round filter paper with a mixture of solution 10 Percent Zinc chloride, 50 parts of Hydrochloric Acid, 100 parts water. Spot a drop of phosphorus solution on it. Add a few drops of Ammonium molybdate solution; deep blue colour appears.
PLATINUM METALLICUM (Plat. met.)
Chemical Symbol: Pt. At.wt.195.09
Description: A lustrous, greyish-white, malleable and ductile metal; good conductor of heat and electricity. It is stable in air and does not tarnish on exposure to air. It is insoluble in single acid, but is soluble in hot aqua regia with the formation of chloroplatinic acid. Its specific gravity is 21.45. It melts at 1773*. It is found as native, precipitated platinum, fit for homoeopathic trituration, may be obtained by placing polished steel rods in a dilute solution of platinic chloride upon which the metal will be deposited as a spongy iron-grey mass, without lustre. The precipitate, after being scraped off the rods with wooden scrapers, is to be boiled with hydrochloric acid, then washed well with purified water and dried.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Platinum metallicum 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It is a precious metal and resembles gold in its toxicological expressions, but it is more irritant.
In small poisonous doses it produces tremors, cramps and convulsions-originating in spinal cord and medulla.
In large doses it causes paralysis of the central nervous system through respiratory centres preceded by impaired sensations and surface coldness.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Potency : 1x Grayish white amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.50 per cent w/w to not more than 10.50 per cent w/w of Pt.
Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Platinum Metallicum. Weigh accurately about 1 g. char it in silica crucible and proceed with the ash as given in the method.
Potency : 2x Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Pt.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g. char it in silica crucible and proceed with ash as given in assay method under Platinum Metallicum.
PLUMBUM METALLICUM (Pb. met.)
Chemical Symbol: Pb At.wt. 207.19
Description: A heavy, bluish grey, soft feebly lustrous metal; tarnishes on exposure to air. Pure water does not attack it in the absence of air. It is attacked by all acids when heated. Its specific gravity is 11.34. It melts at 327.4* C and boils at 1740* C. It is commonly obtained from its ores, which are abundant in nature.
Identification: A solution in nitric acid responds to all reactions characteristic of lead.
Total foreign metals (as sulphates): Not more than 0.02 per cent as determined by the following method:-
Dissolve 50 g. in 175 ml of dilute nitric acid with the aid of gentle heat. Filter by suction through a NO.4 sintered glass crucible and wash the filter with 25 ml. of water. Combine the filtrate and washings. To 75 ml. of this solution add 20 ml. of water and 10 ml. of sulphuric acid, allow to stand for 15 minutes, and filter. Evaporate the filtrate until white fumes are evolved, cool, add 5 ml of water and again evaporate until white fumes are evolved, cool and add 10 ml. of water and 100 ml. absolute alcohol. Allow to stand for 2 hours and filter. Remove the alcohol from the filtrate by evaporation and dilute to 95 ml with water. Take 50 ml. of the solution in silica dish and evaporate to dryness and ignite gently. Not more than 2 mg of residue is obtained.
Assay: Dissolve accurately about 4.16g. of lead in water, add a few drops of dil. Nitric Acid and dilute it to 250 ml. with distilled water in a volumetric flask. Pipette 25 ml. in a 250 ml. and add 2-3 drops of xylenol orange. If the colour of the solution is red, add very dilute nitric Acid cautiously and with stirring until the solution requires yellow colour. Now add powdered hexamine until the colour is intensely red. Titrate with 0.05m of EDTA solution until the colour changes to lemon yellow. Each ml. of 0.5m Ethyle diaminetetra Acetic acid (EDTA) is equivalent to 0.01036 g. of Pb.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Plumbum metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be trituration; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Lead is an element. The metal is not destructive of cells and is an astringent and not corrosive.
Colics arthralgia, paralysis and encephalopathy are the predominant effects.
Standard for finished product : (HPI)
Plumbum Metallicum : Triturate
Potency : 1x Grayish amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.40 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Pb.
Assay : Dissolve about 2 g accurately weighed in 10 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given for Plumbum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x Grayish white amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of pb.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g in char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in 10 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given under Plumbum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0,094 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w of pb.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g, in silica crucible to make ash, dissolve the ash in 10 ml. concentrated hydrochloric acid.
Follow the assay method given under Plumbum Metallicum.
Colour Test : Sufficient quantity of the substance is ashed and the residue is dissolved in Nitric Acid. The concentrated residue is treated with water and used for tests.
Dissolve 1 g. of trituration 1x in 5 ml. of water, and heat with potassium chromate solution: it gives a yellow precipitate or turbidity.
PULSATILLA NIGRICANS (Puls.)
Bot. Name: Pulsatilla nigricans Linn. Family: Ranunculaceae
History: The name is derived from Latin Pulsatus meaning `to beat' or to strike; when the wind blows it pulsates. Hahnemann introduced this in Homoeopathic Practice in 1805.
Distribution: Open fields and plains in dry places in many parts of Europe, Russia and Asia.
Description: A deciduous, perennial herb with a spindle shaped, thick, ligneous dark brown, oblique, several, headed root. Stem upto 1.5 meter high, simple, erect, rounded; Leaves radical, petiolate bipinnatifid with linear segments; at the base, surrounded by several ovate, lanceolate sheaths. Flowers varying in colour from dark violet to light blue, bellshaped pendulous, terminal reflexed at the open, surrounded
by distinct sessile involucre, composed of 3 palmately divided and cleft bracts with linear lobes.
Microscopical: (Powder) Light olive brown to dusky greenish yellow; numerous simple, thick-walled hair upto 2 mm in length and up to 20 u in thickness, tracheid up to 35 u in breadth with spiral markings or bordered pores; fragments of epidermal tissue with stomata, the latter being broadly elliptic and up to 55 u in length in some stem epidermis; some epidermal cells with wavy vertical walls; calcium oxalate crystals and starch grain-few or absent.
Preparation: a) Mother tincture Drug strength 1/10 Pulsatilla nigricans in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified water 300 ml.
Strong Alcohol 730 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol: 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a crystalline alkaloid anemonin, which is present in greater amount in P. nigricans than P. nuttaliana. The plant grows on potassium-rich soil, and therefore .......
contains potassium sulphate, anemonic acid and oil of anemone.
It is an active irritant to skin-causing burning and tingling.
In experiments on animals, 9 gr. anemonin killed rabbits in three or four hours. The heart's pulsations were diminished in strength and frequency and respiration was slowed; finally, diarrhoea, stertorous breathing, sinking of temperature, semi- paralysis of the lungs and death in stupor occurred. At post- mortem the heart walls were relaxed and the heart full of black, clotted blood; there were congestion and oedema of the lungs, and marked hyperaemia of the membranes of the brain and cord, especially in the neighbourhood of the medulla oblongata.
Our knowledge of the range of action of pulsatilla has been obtained from the provings n healthy human beings. It acts on all the mucous membranes of the body and produces thick, bland discharges. It acts also on the synovial membranes, on the veins, causing varicosis and on the generative organs of both sexes. It affects the special organs of sense, the eyes and ears- causing inflammation of those organs-and produces an itching eruption of the skin. The influence of pulsatilla on the organism is extensive but not lethal, and its inflammation do not progress to deep, destructive lesions.
Standard for finished product: HPI
Pulsatilla Nigricans : Mother Tincture
Alcohol Content : 66.0 to 70.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 4.7 to 5.7
Sp.gr. : From 0.870 to 0.900
Total Solids : Not less than 1.20 per cent w/v
T max : 281 nm
Identification : (a) Colour Test: Mix 1 ml tincture with 2 ml 30 Percent potassium hydroxide and 3 ml ethanol (45 Percent) turbidity gradually blue to bluish violent opalescence residues which under the incident light against the black background is well visible.
: (b) Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform:methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and antimony trichloride solution as spray reagent. Four spots appear under UV light at Rf.
0.61, 0.71 and 0.91 (all blue) and with spray reagent four spots appear at Rf. 0.14, 0.71, 0.95 and 0.98.
RHUS TOXICODENDRON (Rhus. tox.)
Bot.Name: Rhus toxicodendron Mich. Family: Anacardiaceae
History: `Rhus' means "red", since its flowers and leaves are red in colour, particularly in autumn. Toxicodendron means poisonous plant. Its juice was used as an indelible ink for marking clothes. Introduced in Homoeopathic practice by Hahnemann in 1816.
(D I G R A M of Rhus Toxicodendron)
Description: A deciduous shrub with reddish, branching stem up to 1 meter high or climbing by rootlets. Leaves ......
alternate ternate, the lateral leaflets unequal at the base and sessile, the terminal larger at the ends of prolongation of the common petiole, rhombic ovate, pointed. Flowers small, greenish- white, polygamous; and in loose and slender axillary panicles. Whole plant is resinous, milky with acrid juice staining black and extremely poisonous.
Distribution: In the forest of United States.
Parts Used: Leaves.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Rhus toxicodendron in coarse powder 100 g Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
The active principles of Rhus tox are toxicodendron, a fixed oil, and volatile substance known as toxicodendric acid, which is given off, from the plant in greatest amount after the sun goes down, in damp or cloudy weather and in the warm days of June and July.
It affects the joints causing rheumatic type pains.
Finished Product Standard:
Rhus Toxicodendron : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 75.0 to 79.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.20 to 6.00
Sp.gr. : From 0.860 to 0.890
Total solids : Not less than 0.65 per cent v/v
/\ max : 261 nm.
Identification : Colour Test: Heat 3 ml tincture or 5 ml of 1x dilution with 0.05g. Resorcin and 1ml Hydrochloric acid in boiling water bath. Tincture is coloured ...
dark red and 1x dilution is coloured pink.
Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform; methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under UV light six spots appear at Rf. 0.07, 0.13, 0.51, 0.73, 0.8 and 0.92 (all Blue).
RUTA GRAVEOLENS (Ruta)
Bot.Name: Ruta graveolens Linn Family:-Rutaceae
Description: Strong-smelling glandulose herb often shrubby below Leaves petioled decompound, segments cuneate, spatulate oblong or linear oblong. Flowers yellow in divericately spreading corymbs; pedicles longer than the capsule; bracts lanceolate. Sepal triangular acute. Petals oblong-obovate, pectinate, abruptly clawed Capsules obtuse, shortly pedicelled. Seeds angled.
Distribution : Cultivated in gardens throughout India, and other countries of western Asia.
(D I A G R A M of Ruta graveolens)
Part used: The whole plant.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Ruta graveolens in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 300 ml.
Strong Alcohol 730 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, two parts purified water and seven parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains a glucoside Rutin and an essential oil rutoside.
It acts on fibrous and bony tissues specially around the joints. It causes general bruised sensation. The tissue around the joints feel very stiff, and as if shortened.
It also acts on the gastric mucosa causing soreness. Catarrh of the intestinal mucosa causing diarrhoea and may produce prolapse of rectum.
It is also an aborificient, causes menorrhagia. Its action on the muscles of the eye ball is important; causes great weakness followed by headache and dimness of vision.
Standard of Finished Product: (HPI)
Ruta Graveolens : Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 66.2 to 70.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.0 to 6.0
Sp.gr. : From 0.880 to 0.930
Total solids : Not less than 1.5 per cent v/v
/\ max : 251, 315 nm.
Identification : (a) Colour Test: Boil 1 ml tincture with fehling's solution strong yellowish red precipitate of copper oxide is formed.
(b) Carry out TLC of concentrated mother tincture on silica gel `G'
plate using butanol: acetic: acid Water (4:1:1 v/v) as mobile phase.
Under UV light 2 spots appear at Rf.0.50, 0.78. With antimony trichloride spray reagent 2 spots appear at Rf.0.50 and 0.93.
SAMBUCUS NIGRA (Samb nig)
Bot.Name: Sambucus Nigra Linn Family: Caprifoliaceae
Description: Deciduous tree, 4-9m high with deeply-furrowed whitish bark; branches greyish and strongly lenticellate; leaves petiolate opposite, odd-pinnate, leaflets 3-7 short stalked, elliptic, acuminate sharply serrate, shining, paler beneath, 5-16 cm long. Flowers creamy-white in five-parted cymes; calyx-5 small and green; corolla five, ovate, rotate, 4-8mm in diameter forming a short tube; stamena-5, epipetalous, filamenta short, anthers yellow; ovary inferior and tricarpellary. Fruits black, lustrous, globose, 3-celled and 50-65mm in diameter.
Microscopical Leaves dorsiventral, trichomes glandular with uniseridate stalk and ellipsoidal, multicellular head, leaf-teeth
possessing glands at vein-terminations, stomata ranunculaceous, palisade with arm-palisade cells. Petiole with extra-floral nectaries and five vascular strands in an arc in transection through distal end.
Distribution: Europe, West Africa, Great Britain, Japan, and Siberia.
Part Used : Leaves and flowers.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Sambucus Nigra in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 500 ml.
Strong Alcohol 537 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part Mother Tincture four parts Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
It contains an acid, Viburnic acid, identical with Valerianic aid an oil-Sambucus oil found in flowers and Tannins, Sugar, fat resin and colouring matter.
Dr. Ubelacker's experiments with from 20 to 50 drops of the tincture gave the symptom of drawing in the head with anxious dread flushed and blotched face dryness and sensation of swelling of the mucosa membranes of the mouth pharynx, larynx and trachea. Frequent and clear profuse urine heaviness in chest, palpitation in the heart tachycardia, till perspiration developed. Sharp darting rheumatic pains in joints. Profuse perspiration relieved all symptoms.
SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS (Sang ca)
Bot.Name: Sanguinaria canadensis Linn. Family: Papaveraceae
Description: a perennial, acaulescent herb with a red cylindrical, prostrate rhizome 2.5-10 cm. long, 6-18 mm. ....
thick slightly branched with fibrous root beneath, and having an abundant, red-orange, acrid juice. Leaves arising from each bud of the rhizome, are five to nine palmately lobed on long red orange-coloured petioles, glabrous, pale green above, bluish white beneath, with orange-coloured, veins. Flowers white showy 2.5-4 cm in diameter on a one-flowered, naked scape 15cm high, the bud erect, the petals usually eight, not crampled.
Habitat: India, United States and Canada.
Parts Used: Rhizome.
Macroscopical: The drug occurs in entire or broken pieces of rhizome and roots. Rhizome, of horizontal growth, more or less cylindrical, somewhat vertically compressed, simple or branched, 2 to 7 cm in length and 5-16 mm in diameter, externally brown, slightly annulate from leaf scars showing on its upper surface a few stem scars and on its lower and lateral surfaces, numerous intact or broken filiform roots and also root scars, fracture short and uneven.
Microscopical: Transverse section of the rhizome shows; epidermis, a layer of thin-walled outer cells. Cortex consisting of about 10-15 rows of parenchyma cells with thin walls, and containing numerous small spheroidal ovoid or plano convex starch grains, and occasionally globules of fixed oil. A comparatively narrow circular zone of numerous small, open collateral, fibro- vascular bundles separated from each ......
other by short medullary rays. A very broad pith of thin-walled parenchyma cells rich in starch. Latex cells, either isolated or arranged in chain and containing an orange-red, red or reddish brown latex, are to be observed scattered among cells of the cortex pith and medullary rays.
Preparation:a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Sanguinaria canadensis in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 400 ml.
Strong Alcohol 635 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, three parts purified water and six parts strong alcohol, 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: It contains an alkaloid Sangunarine which is identical with chelidonin, the alkaloid present in chelidonium maj.
It is an irritant of the mucus membranes and excites vomiting. It depresses circulation but excites Nervous System causing symptoms like tetanus. At times causes increased menstrual flow.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Sanguinaria : Mother tincture Canadensis
Alcohol content : 57.0 to 61.0 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.50 to 6.20
Sp.gr. : From 0.870 to 0.920
Total Solids : Not less than 0.80 per cent w/v
/\ max. : 297 and 323 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform: methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Under UV light seven spots appear at Rf. 0.16, 0.22, 0.31, 0.34 (all grey), 0.88 (brown), 0.91 (yellow) and 0.96 (brown)
Evaporate 20 ml mother tincture on water bath to remove alcohol. Make it alkaline with ammonia solution and extract with 3 x 20 ml. chloroform. Concentrate the chloroform extract to 2ml and carryout co-TLC with sanguinarine using chloroform: methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragndorff's reagent for spray. Spot corresponding to Sanguinarine appears.
SECALE CORNUTUM
Bot.Name: Claviceps Purpurea (Fries) Tul Family: Hypocreaceac
Description: A fungus growing upon the seed of the Secale cornutum. The grains or ergots, are 8-12 mm long, 3-6 mm in diameter, sub-cylindrical, or obtuse triangular, tapering towards the ends generally somewhat curved, transversely fissured, having three longitudinal furrows, and a detachable, yellowish hood at the apex; externally it is purplish-black, internally whitish, the surface is of uniform texture and breaks with a smooth fracture.
(D I A G R A M of Secale Cornutum)
It has a peculiar, offensive odour, a rancid taste, deteriorates when kept for a long time.
Distribution: Found in fields on the rye plant.
Parts Used : Whole fungus freshly dried in coarse powder.
Macroscopical: Dark violet to nearly black usually from about 1 to 3 cm long and from 1 to 5 mm broad, fusiform obscurely 3- angled, usually tapering towards both ends, often with a longitudinal furrowed on each face and transversely cracked, brittle, fracture short; internally whitish or pinkish-white, and showing lines radiating from the centre.
Microscopical: Outer region thin that of a few layers of dark purple to dark-brown, collapsed cells in regular longitudinal rows; remainder of the sclerotium of dense pseudo-parenchyma small rounded, or oval cells, varying in size, somewhat elongated in the central region with thin and colourless, highly refractive chitinous walls, calcium oxalate, spores and vascular tissues absent.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Secale cornutum freshly ground into coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 530 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x to contain one part tincture, four parts purified water and five parts strong alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Ergot is motor excitant a vascular contractor, hemostatic, emmenagogue, anhydrotic and oxytocic. It raises the blood pressure by stimulating the vasomotor centres and producing tetanic contraction of the circular muscle fibres of the arterioles although the pulse is slowed and apparently weakened.
Ergot is distinctly byphasic in action. The acute effect is produced by large dose. It is manifested in irritation of gastro-intestinal tract, unstriped muscles contract e.g. sphincters; and uterus, the pupils, dilate, anaemia of the brain and spinal cord results in coldness of the body surface, tetanic spasm and violent clonic convulsion.
In small doses ergot produces two forms of phenomena. Convulsions and gangrene. The tetanoid spasm involve flexor muscles, the uterus the muscular coat of intestine, muscles of respiration and may end in coma or death.
Gangrene begins with extreme coldness of the part, this sense of formication, under the skin, all over the body, loss of sensibility bullae filled with black blood, dry or moist gangrenous areas, systemic poisoning, coma and death.
Standard for finished product: (HPI)
Secale Cornutum : Mother tincture
Alcohol Content : 44.0 to 48.0 Percent v/v
pH : between 5.0 to 6.2
Sp.Gr. : From 0.92 to 0.950
Total Solids : Not less than 0.80 w/v
/\ max : 248 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as Mobile phase. Under uv light five spots appear at Rf.0.06 to 0.20 (Brown); 0.53 (brown), 0.71 (grey) and 0.92 (Brown).
SEPIA (Sepia)
Zoological Name: Sepia officinalis Linn. Family: Sepiadae
Description: The cuttle fish in a cephalopodous mollusc, without an external shell, from one to two feet long, soft gelatinous, of a brown colour verging on red and spotted back; its body is rounded, elliptical and enclosed in a sac furnished with a fleshy fin on each side along its whole length. The head, separated from the body by a neck is salient and round, and provided with salient eyes of a liverly red colour. The mouth is surrounded by ten arms which are pedunculated, very large and furnished with suckers. The cuttle fish ink is an excretory liquid contained in a bag about the size and shape of a grape within the abdomen of sepia; it is blackish brown, and used by these animals to darken the water when they wish to catch their
prey or escape from their pursuers. The ink-bag is found separate from the liver, and deeper in the abdominal cavity its external duct ends in a kind of funnel, and opens near the anus of the animal. In the back of the fish is found an oval, oblong movable bone, from 8 to 12 cms long and from one and 4 to 8 cm broad, somewhat convex, cretaceous and spongy. Sepia in a dry state as it occurs in trade, appears to be a dark blackish-brown solid mass of shining conchoidal, very brittle fracture, having a faint smell of seafish, nearly without taste and scarcely dyeing the saliva. It is enclosed in little skins and has the shape of grapes.
Distribution: The Indian Ocean and other seas of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Part Used: Inky juice found in bag-like structure in the abdomen of the cuttle fish.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Sepia in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: Sepia is known to contain calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate. It is not toxic in any case. Only the provings have exhibited its action on the human system.
Our knowledge of its pathogenic and curative effect is clinical. This has been confirmed by a proving in 1874 carried out by thirty provers of American Institute of Homoeopathy. The laboratory evidence of the action as a drug is lacking.
Standard of Finished Product: (HPI)
SEPIA :Mother Tincture
Alcohol content : 90.0 to 940 per cent v/v
pH : Between 5.9 to 6.8
Spl.gr. : from 0.850 to 0.940.
Total solids : Not less than 0.80 per cent w/v.
/\ max. : 260 and 280 nm.
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform :methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. In iodine vapour two spots appear at Rf.0.44 and 0.80.
SILICEA (Sil)
Chemical Symbol: Sio2 Mol.Wt.60.06
Description: A white amorphous powder, tasteless and odourless. It is insoluble in water and in dilute acids excepting only hydrochloric acid. It is prepared by the following process:-
Take one part of silica, in powder, and four parts of dry sodium carbonate. Fuse the sodium carbonate in a large clay crucible and gradually add the silica powder to the fused mass, at each addition carbon dioxide escapes. When the evolution of carbon dioxide ceases, pour the fused mass upon a clean marble slab, and while slightly warm break it in a sufficient quantity of distilled water to dissolve it; the stopper is to be capped with a wet bladder. Next day dilute the solution and rapidly filter through cotton wool. Add the filtered liquor hydrochloric acid to the filter through cotton wool gradually in small quantities. The hydrated silica is precipitated in the form of bulky gelatinous white precipitate. Collect the precipitate and wash with distilled water upon a square frame filter. The washing must be continued until the filtrate is tasteless and no longer precipitates the solution of silver nitrate. Then dry upon a porcelain water-bath when it shrinks to an impalpable powder.
Identification: When a small fragment of silica is introduced in a bead of microcosmic salt (sodium ammonium phosphate)and heated, silica will float in the bead while hot and upon cooling, the bead will become opaque and show a bead-like structure.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Silicea in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action: Silica is a common quarts widely distributed in nature, in the soil, rock formation and glacial detrius, river beds and shores. It affords stiffness and rigidity to plants.
Traces of silica are found in the blood and other fluids of the body in connective tissue epidermis hair nails and bones.
It is inert in natural state. By trituration and potentisation it is transformed into a very powerful and curative agent.
Its pace is slow and effects are long-lasting, therefore hardly used in acute diseases.
It strikes directly at the function of assimilation and through this action a majority of its effects are produced.
Carefully incinerate 1 g. of 1 x or 10 g. of 2nd trituration, dissolve the residue in a freshly prepared caustic soda solution (hot). This solution can be used for testing of silicic acid as follows.
Take 5 drops of clear filtrate in a small porcelain dish and add 1 ml. ammonium molybdate solution and heat to 40-50* C cool the solution with 1 ml. of acetic acid benzidine solution (preparation: dissolve 0.05 g benzidine in 10 ml. acetic acid solution and dilute it to 100 ml with water.
Assay: Ignite 2.0g of 1x triturate at 800* C till constant weight, in a porcelain dish. It is incinerated by raising the temperature slowly. Allow the powder to cease glowing first and then to dark red glow, till no charcoal is visible in the residue. If you do not get white residue, add a few drops of 65 Percent nitric acid to cold material, and repeat the test (i.e. carefully heat and ignite residue again, cool it in a desiccator and weigh thereby the residue for a given weight must be 0.149 g. min and 0.17 g. max.
This range corresponds to a content of 7.2 (minimum) and 8.5 Percent (maximum) silicic acid anhydride, (minimum) 9.5
and (maximum) 10.55 Percent moisture containing silicic anhydride (Sio2 aq) respectively.
Standard for Finished Product: (HPI)
Potency 1x contains: not less than 9.50 Percent to not more than 10.80 Percent of the drug.
Potency 2x contains: not less than 0.95 Percent to not more than 1.05 Percent of the drug.
Potency 3x contains: not less than 0.095 Percent to more than o,105 Percent of the drug.
SPIGELIA (Spig)
Bot.Name: Spigelia marilandica Linn. Family: Loganiaceae
Description: Perennial herb, 30-40 cm. high with small, twisted, knotty horizontal rhizome, 5 cm. long 2-3 mm in ....
(D I A G R A M OF Spigelia Marilandies)
diameter, giving numerous long,slender fibrous yellow roots beneath. Stems several, erect purplish, simple, smooth, quadrangular above and rounded below Leaves few, entire, opposite sessile, exstipulate, ovate-lanceolate acute, smooth, paler beneath, slightly pubescent on veins and 5-8 cm. long. Flowers 4-12, brilliant red, large, sessile or very short stalked, tubular, funnel-shaped ebracteate placed singly at short intervals on one side of spike terminating each stem; calyx small, smooth, persistent, very deeply divided into 5-linear subulate, erect acute, bright crimson outside, yellow within; stamens-5 epipetalous filamenta short exserted, anthera erect liner-oblong and 2-celled, ovary superior, compressed and bilocular, style long, flattened below and hairy above. Fruit loculicidally dehiscent capsule, compressed laterally, 2-celled smooth, yellow or greenish-yellow.
Macroscopical: Rhizome entire or in pieces, 1.5-7 cm long, 2-5 mm in diameter, finely annulate, dark-brown externally, tortuous knotty, bearing numerous cup-shaped scars of stem bases above, and slender, coarse, wiry finely branched rootlets below; fracture short, brittle uneven, inner surface containing whitish bark, yellowish wood and dark-brown pith. Rootlets light coloured,thin long, brittle and sometimes containing bark attached at terminal parts. Odour aromatic, taste bitter, sweetish, pungent and nauseous.
Microscopical: Rhizome: Epidermal cells dark brown with outer walls thick; cortex 10-15 layered with isodiametric cells containing spheroidal polygonal starch-grains, 6 in diameter; endodermis of tangentially elongated cells containing Casparian spots on radial walls; phloem 150 broad containing phloem parenchyma and sieve tubes; xylem compact, radially arranged, with trachea and tracheids possessing bordered pits and spiral thickenings in longitudinal sections; interxylary phloem containing sieve tubes surrounded by phloem parenchyma; pith parenchymatous with thick-walled cells containing small starch grains. Root: Epidermal cells with numerous hairs, cortex broad, and parenchymatous containing small starch grains radial fibro- vascular bundles containing 6-8 alternating patches of xylem and phloem; pith small.
Distribution: West-Indies; East and North America to Florida and Texas.
Parts Used: Whole plant.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Spigelia, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol. 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Spigelia, in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
Constituents and Action:
Spigelia first irritates and then depresses the brain and spinal cord; its chief influence is on the cord. It also depresses both the circulation and the respiration. Its irritation of the spinal cord is shown in the motor sphere by spasmodic movements of the facial muscles, strabismus, protrusion of the eyeballs and subsultus tendinum; in the sensory sphere by violent neuralgic pains, which may occur in any nerve of the body, but are most common in the trigeminus, in the nerves of the scalp and in the cutaneous nerves of the chest and cardiac region. It also affects the fibrous tissues, especially those of the eyes and heart.
SPONGIA TOSTA (Spong to)
Zoological Name: Sycon gelatinosum Class: Porifera
Description: Two or more species of spongia, known as turkey sponge, are used. The horny skeleton, from which the desired substance is prepared, consists mostly of siliceous or calcareous matter, while the spongy portion is soft elastic and compressible and traversed by many lacunae, with circular openings on the surface. Bleached sponges are not suitable for medicinal purposes, and those selected pieces are roasted until brown and friable.
Distribution: The Mediterranean near Syria and Greece.
Parts Used: Whole body including skeleton.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Spongia tosta in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Spongia Tosta in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of trituration. b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Though Spongia belongs to animal kingdom, it contains iodine, bromine, calcium phosphate, and carbonate, potassium iodide, aluminium sulphate, Silica, Sodium chloride and other minerals. It is a very complex substance.
Spongia acts principally on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract arresting secretion and causing intense inflammation, and croupous exudate; on the glands, the thyroid and testicles, producing swelling and induration; on the heart, arterial circulation and blood, resulting in palpitation, orgasm of blood to the chest and head pulsating in the arteries, fibrinous deposits and the valves of the heart and decrease of fibrin in the blood current. It's most useful in chronic bronchitis, goitre, laryngitis, spasmodic cramp, endocarditis complicated with valvular disease and orchitis.
Standard for Finished Product:
Spongia Tosta : Mother Tincture
Alcohol Content : 75.0 to 79.0 v/v
pH : Between 5.8 to 6.5
Sp.Gr. : From 0.850 to 0.880
total solids : Not less than 0.30 w/v
/\ max : 264 nm
Identification : Carryout TLC of chloroform extract .....
using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase.
Under UV light give spots appear at Rf = 0.13, 0.19, 0.56 and 0.75 (all blue) and 0.82 Red. With antimony trichloride reagent five spots appear at RF 0.42, 0.52, 0.78 and 0.97 (all violets)
STANNUM METALLICUM (Stan. Met.)
Chemical Symbol: Sn. At.Wt. 119.09
Description: A silver white lustrous, soft very malleable and ductile metal; only slightly, tenacious, easily powdered. When being bent emit the crackling tin cry. Stable in air, but when in powder form it oxidizes, especially in presence of moisture. Insoluble in water and alcohol, but soluble slowly in cold dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute nitric acid and in hot sulphuric acid. The precipitated metal is used for trituration.
Identification: a) When metallic zinc is placed in a solution of tin in hydrochloric acid the tin is precipitated in metallic form. The precipitated metal is soluble in boiling hydrochloric acid, and the resulting solution, containing stannous chloride, yields a white or grey precipitate with mercuric chloride.
b) A solution in acid gives a brownish black precipitate with hydrogen sulphide.
Total foreign metals: Not more than 0.04 per cent as determined by the following method:-
Heat 2.5 g. with 15 ml. of nitric acid on a water bath until all the metal is dissolved, then evaporate to dryness, cool, digest with 3 ml of dilute nitric acid and 30 ml of water for 65 minutes, and filter. Evaporate the filtrate to dryness and ignite, weigh the residue. Not more than 1 mg of residue is obtained.
Preparation: a) Trituration 1x Drug Strength 1/10 Stannum metallicum precipitated 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies: 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
This is a metal. Stannum acts principally on the nerves mucus membranes, chest and female genitals. The salts paralyze the central nervous system in the frog and the heart later. In mammals certain parts of the N.S. are paralyzed and others stimulated. Vomiting colic and diarrhoeas occur with great weakness. The provings confirm and supplement these physiological results gained from experiment on animals.
Standard for Finished Product: HPI
Potency 1x White amorphous powder Contains not less than 9.40 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Complies with the assay method given as follows.
Potency 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.95 per cent w/w to not more than 1.05 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Weigh accurately about 5 g. char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in Hydrochloric Acid. Follow assay method given for Stannum Metallicum.
Potency 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.095 per cent w/w to not more than 0.105 per cent w/w of Sn.
Assay Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make ash. Dissolve the ash in Hydrochloric Acid. Follow assay method given for Stannum Metallicum.
STRAMONIUM (Stram)
Bot Name: Dature stramonium Linn Family: Solanaceae
Synonym : Dature talula Linn.
Description: A coarse bushy annual 0.6-1.2 m high glabrous or farinose puberulous. Leaves stalked, about 18 cm long, ovate, deeply toothed or sinuate pale green. Calyx 2.5 cm; lobes 6 mm long, ovate lanceolate. Corolla 7.5-15 cm long white 2.5-7.5 cm. diam. lobes 5, cuspidate. Capsule erect, ovoid deeply 4-valved, covered with rigid long and short prickles surrounded below by the enlarged reflex base of the calyx.
(D I A G R A M OF Stramonium) Macroscopical: Leaves are dark, greyish green and much shrivelled and twisted as a result of drying. The petiole is short and twisted. Young leaves bear numerous trichomes but elder ones are almost glabrous. Stems dichotomously branched. Ovary is superior, conical spuriously tetralocular in lower part and covered with short emergences. Odour disagreeable and characteristic; taste unpleasant and bitter.
Microscopical: Leaf smooth cuticle and sinuous anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells, cruciferous stomata, rare in ....
the upper epidermis but numerous in the lower; straight or slightly curved uniseriate, conical trichomes with thin warty walls, usually 3-celled, the basal cell being the largest and usually exceeding 50 u in length and 35 u breadth, the glandular trichomes which are usually curved composed each of a short 1 or 2 -celled pedicel and 2-7 celled pyriform glandular had; a single row of palisade cells and beneath it the crystal layer containing in most of the cells a single cluster crystal of calcium oxalate or occasional prisms of microspheroidal crystals; the presence of perimedullary phloem in the midrib. Stem, the trichomes and epidermia resembling those of the leaf but often attaining a length of 800; the occasional pericycle fibres; the numerous wood fibres and vessels the crystals sacs, and perimedullary phloem of stems, the pollen grains 60-80 in diam, with three large pores and a coarsely warty exine.
Part Used: Whole Plant.
Distribution: Occurs abundantly in Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim upto 300 m, Hilly tracts of Madhya Pradesh and South India.
Preparation: a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10 Stramonium moist magma contains solids 100 g. and moisture approx. 200 m. 300 g.
Purified Water 200 m.
Strong Alcohol 635 m.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture.
b) Potencies: 2x contain one part Mother Tincture, three parts Purified Water and six parts Strong Alcohol; 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action:
Stramonium closely resembles belladonna in its action on the central nervous system, and on the peripheral nerves; it has a more marked effect on the heart, which soon becomes irregular under its influence. Relaxation of the muscular coat of the bronchi is a very striking result, and it is much used as an antispasmodic in asthma and, in combination with dature, tatula, lobelia &c., forms a useful palliative on antipathic principles. For this purpose it is ......
used in cigarettes, or the powder is burnt and the smoke inhaled. In this sphere the "dual action" of the drug is acknowledged even by non-homoeopathic authorities.
The gross effects of the poison are furious delirium, amounting to violent mania; and irritation of the throat inflammation and muscular spasm-and of the skin. The stage of excitement is followed by stupor and general paralysis. In one fatal case symptoms like hydrophobia, coupled with marked hyperaemia of pharynx, oesophagus and larynx, with redness and swelling of the vocal cords occurred.
Mild poisonings and the provings enable one to classify the mental symptoms somewhat as follows :-
Symptoms of Excitement or Stimulation; Symptoms of Depression; Hallucinations.
It is not suggested that these symptoms occur in "water-tight compartments". While there is a certain progression or sequence, due to varying susceptibility of different tissues or to the dose of the poison, the excitement group preceding depression, some features of each group may coincide. This is especially shown in the persistence of some of the evidence of excitement into the stage of depression. Hallucinations may belong to either group or stage.
SULPHUR (Sulph.)
Chemical Symbol S Atomic Wt. 32.07
Description : A fine, yellow, slightly gritty powder, odour faint and not unpleasant, tasteless. Burns with a blue flame with the production of sulphur dioxide. It is almost insoluble to water and in alcohol; incompletely soluble in carbone disulphide. Sublimed sulphur may be prepared from native sulphur or from sulphides.
Identification : At about 115* it melts to a yellow mobile liquid which becomes dark and viscid on further heating at about 160*.
Macroscopical appearance : Consists chiefly of almost opaque, rounded amorphous particles or aggregates, sometimes associated with semi-crystalline masses.
Arsenic : Not more than 2 parts per million.
Acidity : Thoroughly agitate 2g with freshly boiled and cooled water, and titrate with 0C1 N sodium hydroxide, using solution of phenolphthalein as indicator, not more than 1 ml is required.
Sulphated ash : Not more than 0.2 per cent.
Matter insoluble in carbon disulphide : Agitate 1g. with 20 ml of carbon disulphide and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Filter wash the residue with carbon disulphide and dry, the residue weighs not more than 0.2 g.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Sulphur in fine powder 100 g. Saccharum lactis 900 g. To make one thousand grammes of the trituration.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated; 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol. c) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/5000.
Sulphur in fine powder 0.2g. Strong Alcohol 1000 ml. To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
o.2 g. of sulphur is added to 1000 ml of Strong Alcohol and allowed to remain in a well stoppered bottle for at least 48 hours, the bottle being shaken twice a day. The tincture is then poured off and filtered.
d) Potencies : 4x to contain five parts of tincture and five parts of strong Alcohol. 5x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
Sulphur is an element that is widely distributed in Nature and enters into the composition of nearly every fluid and tissue of the body.
Sulphur has an ability to stimulate the patients natural reactive powers with the improvements of his general condition.
It is a mild laxative and a diaphoretic, in full doses it is an irritant to the stomach and intestines. It increases the secretion of the intestinal glands and promote peristaltic action. Repeated infection causing tremors and great debility.
It is eliminated through the skin, producing roughness and exfoliation vesicular, eczematous dermatitis and other forms of eruptions.
Symptoms of poisoning are those of asphyxia and muscular tremors, followed by convulsion and death.
The action of Sulphur is deep and long-lasting.
Standard for Finished Product : HPI
Trituration In 1x potency contains not less than 9.50 Percent to not more than 10.50 Percent of the drug. In 2x Potency contains not less than 0.950 Percent to not less than 1.05 Percent of the drug.
In 3x potency, contains not less than 0.95 Percent to not more than 0.105 Percent of the drug.
TARENTULA HISPANA (Tarent h)
Zoological Name : Tarentula hispana Family : Lycosidae
Description : Body stout, 3.8 cm to 5.1 cm long, colour greyish brown on upper surface and deep saffron yellow on the under surface with a transverse black band. A hairy spider, with six eyes and several pairs of legs, the third pair particularly being the shortest. The margin of the thorax grey, with a radiated dorsal line of the anterior part of the dorsum, marked with triangular spots. This poison of male and female are identical. According to Dr. Mariano de la Paz Graells Pardo, Spain the spider is most poisonous in the month of July.
Part Used : The entire spider.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug Strength 1/10
Tarentula Hispana 100 g.
Purified Water 300 ml.
Glycerin 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 500 m. To make one thousand millilitres of the Mother Tincture. Crush the live spider and macerate according to the method described. b) Potencies : 2x contain one part Mother Tincture, four parts Purified Water and five parts Strong Alcohol. 3x and higher with dispensing alcohol c) Trituration 2x and higher in accordance with the method described. d) Potency : 6x may be converted to liquid 8x; 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS (Thuja)
Bot.Name : Thuja occidentalis Linn. Family : Cupressaceae
Description : A tall tree up to 20 meters in height, with light red brown bark, horizontal branches ascending at the end: Leaves acute, apiculate, usually conspicuously glandular bright green above and yellowish green beneath. Flowers minute, solitary, terminal, the sexes commonly on different branchlets, staminate flowers yellow, of 6-12 decussate stamens : pistillate flowers with 8-12 scales in opposite pairs. Cones 12 mm long, brownish yellow, with 8-10 woody scales, 4 of which fertile; seeds winged.
Distribution : United States; found in swamps and on cool rocky banks.
Part Used : Leaves and Twigs.
Macroscopical : Twigs entire or broken fan-shaped, flattened bearing 4 rows of appressed, scale-like leaves, all bearing glands on back, odour balsamic aromatic, taste camphoraceous, turpentine-like and bitter.
Microscopical : The power of leaves-greenish to brownish green, fragments of chlorenchyma, fragments of epidermis with broadly elliptical stomata from 25 u to 40 u in length, the guard cells having lignified walls, numerous thick-walled lignified fibres with simple oblique pores.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10
Thuja occidentalis in dry
coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 135 ml.
Strong Alcohol 885 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture. b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
History : Thuja is a quick waste alteration of `thuja' meaning `sacrifice'. The wood was used for sacrifice.
Constituents and Action : Thuja is the principal, `antisycotic' Thuja contains an oil of thuja, a thujol, flavone glycoside thuj- in and an acid called thujetic acid.
It contains glucoside Thujin occuring in green part of the plant: Thujetin, when heated with a dilute mineral acid breaks down with glucose; Thujenin when heated with hydrochloric acid breaking down with another crystalline body having one H20 less than Thujetin. Thujetic acid formed by dissolving Thujin in baryta water; Pinipicrin a glucoside extracted from young leafy branchlets as well as heads of Pinus Sylvestris; a colorless or a greenish yellow volatile oil, oil of Thuja.
Thuja acts principally on the mucous membrane of mouth, upper respiratory tract, urethra, genital organ, and on the skin. It also affects the nerves causing stitching, drawing or tearing pains in all parts of the body.
Standard for Finished Product : HPI
Thuja occidentalis : Mother tincture
Alcohol content : 80.0 to 84.0 Percent v/v
pH : Between 4.6 to 6.5
Sp. gr. : 0.830 to 0.865
Total Solids : Not less than 80 Percent w/v
/\ max : 260 and 325 nm.
Identification : Colour reaction :
1. Dilute 1 ml tincture with 2 ml methanol. Add. a few drops of resorcin hydrochloric acid, and after heating and on keeping for a long time, a stable wine colour to cherry red colour results.
2. Carryout the TLC chloroform extract using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase under uv light eight spots appear at Rf = 0.05, 0.12, 0.22 (Red) 0.37 (Blue), 0.47, 0.68, 0.84 and 0.93 (all red)
With Antimony trichloride reagent the spots appear at Rf 015 (violet) 0.87 (brown) 0.92 (brown).
VERATRUM ALBUM (Vert. Alb.)
Bot. Name : Veratrum album Linn. Family : Liliaceae.
Description : A perennial deciduous herb with an erect rhizome frequently dividing into 2-3 branches. Stem, 1-5 m high, round, fistular, almost covered by sheathing leaf bases downy above Leaves, plaited broad, ovate, acute or rather blunt, glabrous above and downy beneath, and provided with numerous nerves. Flowers, light-yellow or yellowish-white, in erect panicled racemes, appearing during June-August. Odour offensive from roots, taste bitter, extremely acrid and poisonous.
Part Used : Rhizome.
Macroscopical : Rhizome, 5 cm long, 2 cm in diameter, dull black, rough and wrinkled externally, with the remains of numerous concentrically arranged leaf-base at the upper part, and root-scars containing a distinct slender xylem in the centre. Rootlets, numerous, completely enveloping the rhizome, dull grey or yellowish, and shrivelled longitudinally. Lower extremely of the rhizome bluntly conical or truncate.
Microscopical : Rhizome: epidermis with reddish-brown to yellowish-orange cork-like cells. Cortex moderately broad, containing spherical or ellipsoidal starch grains, and some with raphides of calcium oxalate, upto 60u in length. Root-trace bundles, without cambium, present in the cortex at some places. Endodermis waxy, two layered, with somewhat lignified cells, considerably thickened at the inner and radial walls, having U- shaped lumen in the horizontal plane; traversed at some places by root-trace bundles. Stele, a broad parenchymatous zone with cells resembling the cortex and fibro-vascular bundles arranged in irregular interrupted circles. Sometimes, tracheae possess sclariform thickenings. Rootlets, epidermis with more or less quadrangular cells possessing thickened outer radial walls. Hypodermis, one layered with more or less compressed cells beneath with are present 2-3 layers of collenchyma. Aerenchyma with a large irregular spaces surrounded by parenchyma cells in the outer cortex. Cortical parenchyma, a broad zone of spherical cells, becoming smaller towards the central cylinder, mostly containing spherical or ellipsoidal starch grains, and a few cells also containing raphides of calcium oxalate. Endodermis with cells possessing considerably thickened radial and inner- walls and a U-shaped lumen. Pith, small, central zone of thick- walled cells containing crystals of calcium oxalate and starch grains.
Distribution : Middle and southern Europe, Russia, China and Japan.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Veratrum Album, in coarse powder 100 g.
Purified Water 200 ml.
Strong Alcohol 824 ml.
To make one thousand millilitres of the Tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
c) Trituration 1x. Drug strength 1/10
Veratrum Album, in coarse powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the Trituration.
d) Potencies : 1x and higher to be triturated. 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
The active principal of veratrum album is an alkaloid called proto-veratrine, C32 H51 NO11, the alkaloid of veratrum viride being veratrine C32 H49 NO9. Though much alike in their physiological action there are important differences between them, as veratrine, unlike proto-veratrin, paralysis the terminations of the motor nerves and also has a characteristic effect on striated muscular fibre, in that if a muscle is stimulated after the application to it of veratrine it contracts as rapidly as usual, but its contraction is greatly prolonged; the period necessary for its relaxation to be completed as twenty to thirty times that of unpoisoned muscle and the whole contraction lasts from five to ten seconds. Consequently resistance is offered to the contraction of opposing muscle and movements of co-ordination cannot be properly performed, so that locomotion and other movements are slow and awkward. With these exceptions the action of the two alkaloids seems to be very much alike.
The symptoms of veratrine commence with pricking and burning in the mouth tongue and throat, on which follow marked salivation, nausea, warmth in the stomach vomiting. Violent purging with severe colic occurs. the pricking sensation spreads to the skin and profuse perspirations ensues. The pulse becomes slow and irregular, the respiration is slow and laboured. The muscles exhibit fibrillary contractions and convulsions come on. Collapse follows, with subsequent unconsciousness, and finally, failure of the respiration.
Applied locally, veratrine, like aconitine, stimulates the terminations of sensory nerves and causes a warm, pricking sensation. The stimulant effect is followed by diminution of sensitiveness and a feeling of cold and numbness. Protoveratrine causes less irritation but more complete anaesthesia than veratrine. The local action of small quantities on the nose and throat is to produce violent sneezing and coughing.
The nausea, vomiting and purging caused by the alkaloid are due to its influence on the nervous system, for it causes no sign of irritation or inflammation of the alimentary tract. Likewise the perspiration and probably to a large extent the salivation are due to nervous influence. The circulatory symptoms arise from stimulation of the medullary centres, viz., of the cardiac inhibitory centre, which causes slowing of the heart and decreases the output, and of the vasomotor centre, which contracts the peripheral blood-vessels. Larger quantities paralyze the terminations of the vagus and at the same time depress the vasomotor centre, the pulse then becomes quicker and the blood pressure is lowered. The central nervous system is stimulated at first and then paralyzed. The cord and medulla are more affected than the higher centres, for complete consciousness usually remains almost to the last moment. Death is due to paralysis of the respiratory centre, as is the case with aconitine.
VERATRUM VIRIDE
Bot. Name : Veratrum Virde Ait. Family : Liliaceae
Description : A perennial herb with coarse, thick fleshy rhizomes, more or less horizontal, with numerous white rootlets on the lower part, having a strong, unpleasant odour when fresh, nearly odourless when dried. Stem up to 1.1/3 meter high stout erect, simple, leafy to the top, striated and pubescent; leaves 3, ranked, broadly oval, strongly plated sheath clasping, acuminate; the lower leaves 15-30 cm long, curly; decreasing in size upwards to mere lanceolate bracts. Flowers polygamous, yellowish green on pedicles much shorter than the bracts, in dense, spreading, spike, like racemes on roundish, downy- peduncles, composing a terminal pyramidal panicle.
Habitat : Indigenous to North America from Canada to Gorgia in U.S.A.
Part Used : Rhizome.
Macroscopical : Rhizome about 5 to 8 cm long, to 3.5 cm wide, sub-cylindrical and obconical below, and crowned with the remains of concentrically arranged leaf-bases cut off level with the top of rhizome; grey and rough, and enveloped with very numerous stout, yellowish-brown, transversely shrivelled roots, or showing root scars; taste bitter and acrid.
Preparation : a) Mother Tincture Drug strength 1/10 Veratrum viride in coarse powder 100 g. Purified Water 233 ml. Strong Alcohol 800 ml. To make one thousand millilitres of the tincture.
b) Potencies : 2x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Standard for Finished Product : (HPI)
Veratrum : Mother Tincture Viride
Alcohol content : 72.0 to 76.0 per cent v/v
Sp. gr. : From 0.860 to 0.900
pH : Between 6.2 to 6.8
Total solids : Not less than 0.65 per cent w/v
/\ max : 264 and 320 nm
Identification : Carry out TLC of chloroform extract using chloroform : methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. With Dragendorff's reagent three long spots appear at Rf. 0.5 to 0.21, 0.25 to 0.35 and 0.41 to 0.47 or Evaporate 20 ml mother tincture on water bath to remove alcohol. Make it alkaline with ammonia solution and extract the aqueous part with 3x20 ml chloroform, concentrate the chloroform extract to 2 ml and carryout CO- TLC with Veratrine using chloroform methanol (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase and Dragendorff's reagent for spray. Spot corresponding to Veratrine appears.
ZINCUM METALLICUM
Chemical Symbol : Zn At. Wt. 65.37
Description : A bluish white metal having a crystalline structure or a fine grey powder, free from all but small aggregates. Soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid or dilute sulphuric acid. Contains not less than 90.0 per cent Zn.
Identification : Fields reactions characteristic of zinc.
Assay : Shake 1g accurately weighed, with a solution of 25g ferric ammonium sulphate in 100 ml of water, in a vessel from which the air has been displaced by carbon dioxide, until the Zinc is completely dissolved. Add. 100 ml of dilute sulphuric acid, dilute to 500 ml with water, and titrate 50 ml of this solution with 0.1 N potassium permanganate. Each ml of 0.1N potassium permanganate is equivalent to 0.003269 g of Zn.
Preparation : a) Trituration 1x Drug strength 1/10 Zincum metallicum in fine powder 100 g.
Saccharum lactis 900 g.
To make one thousand grammes of the trituration
b) Potencies : 2x and higher to be triturated, 6x may be converted to liquid 8x, 9x and higher with dispensing alcohol.
Constituents and Action :
The primary action of zinc is on spinal cord causing twisting and jerking of muscles, trembling, nervous exhaustion and defective reaction.
Standard for Finished Product :
Potency : 1x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 9.0 per cent w/w to not more than 10.40 per cent w/w of Zn. Assay : Complies with the assay method given under Zincum Metallicum.
Potency : 2x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.94 per cent w/w to not more than 1.04 per cent w/w of Zn.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 5 g. char it in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with ash as given in assay method given Zincum Metallicum.
Potency : 3x White amorphous powder. Contains not less than 0.094 per cent w/w to not more than 0.104 per cent w/w of Zn.
Assay : Weigh accurately about 20 g. char in silica crucible to make ash and proceed with the ash as given in the assay method under Zincum Metallicum.
Colour test : 0.15 mother substances is dissolved in 4 ml dilute hydrochloric acid and diluted with water to 10 ml use this solution for test.
For spot test mix 2 drops of 5 Percent resorcin solution with two drops of liquid ammonia (25 Percent) then add 2/3 drops of Zinc solution. After sometime blue colouration appears (Zinc).
APPENDIX
Method adopted by HPI for Trituration
The object of trituration is to reduce the dry drug to the finest possible powder. Whether a trituration is prepared manually or by a machine, the following process is adopted.
Take one part by weight of crude drug and one part by weight of Milk Sugar in coarse powder. Mix the two for a moment and then rub the mixture thoroughly for six minutes. After six minutes scrap the pestle and mortar with a spatula so that nothing adheres either to the sides of the mortar or to the pestle; stir the mixture for a total time of four minutes. Then again rub the mixture with pestle for six minutes and stir for four minutes.
Now add 3 parts by weight of Sugar of Milk and repeat the processes of rubbing and stirring two times each as described above, i.e. rubbing for six minutes and stirring for four minutes.
Then add 5 parts by weight of Sugar of Milk and repeat the processes of rubbing and stirring. At the end of this process we get 1x potency of a medicine.
It will be seen that the total quantity of Milk Sugar taken is 9 parts of weight which is divided in the proportion of 1:3:5. For the next higher potency the same process is to be employed. The trituration may also be made in the centesimal scale. i.e. in the proportion of 1:99 dividing the Sugar of Milk to 11:33:55 parts but preparation in this scale upto 4x potency is not recommended as it may be found difficult to bring the crude drugs in the desired state of fineness. To increase the quantity of trituration without modifying other conditions is bound to result in inferior preparation and therefore, inadvisable. But as the demand for homoeopathic medicine has extensively increased all over the world and the pharmacists have to supply them on a large commercial scale, new mechanical devices for trituration greater quantity have to be employed. It is not feasible to give strict rules for such mechanical appliances in all their interdependent details.
All insoluble substances are submitted to this process of trituration and as it is carried on as far as the third centesimal potency (or 6th decimal potency) it follows that this thorough rubbing and stirring is continued until the medicine constitutes only the one-millionth part of the mixture.
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