§ 21.99 — Brucine Alkaloid

(a) Identification test. Add a few drops of concentrated nitric acid to about 10 mg of brucine alkaloid. A vivid red color is produced. Dilute the red solution with a few drops of water and add a few drops of freshly made dilute stannous chloride solution. A reddish purple (violet) color is produced.

(b) Melting point. 178 °±1 °C. Dry the alkaloid in an oven for one hour at 100 °C., increase the temperature to 110° and dry to a constant weight before taking melting point.

(c) Strychnine test. Brucine alkaloid shall be free of strychnine when tested by the method listed under Brucine Sulfate, N.F. IX.

(d) Sulfate test. No white precipitate is formed that is not dissolved by hydrochloric acid when several drops of a 1 N barium chloride solution are added to 10 mL of a solution of the alkaloid.