Hydrastininae Hydrochloridum. Hydrastinine Hydrochloride.
Related entries: Hydrastis Rhizome - Hydrastine - Hydrastinine
C11H12NO2Cl = 225.566.
Hydrastinine hydrochloride, C11H11NO2, HCl, is a salt of the artificial alkaloid hydrastinine, which is produced by the oxidation of hydrastine. It is official in the U.S.P. It occurs in the form of pale yellow, needle-shaped crystals, or as a yellowish-white, crystalline powder, without odour and with a very bitter taste. It melts at about 210°. The strong aqueous solution is pale yellow in colour, and has a blue fluorescence, which becomes more pronounced on further dilution with water; it is optically inactive and neutral to litmus. An aqueous solution (1 in 20) should not be rendered turbid by solution of ammonia; bromine water produces, in a solution of the same strength, a yellow precipitate, which should be perfectly soluble in ammonia, forming an almost colourless solution. Solution of potassium bichromate produces a yellow precipitate, which dissolves on gently heating, but separates again on cooling in yellow-red needle-shaped crystals. The addition of 2 or 2 ½ decimils (0.2 to 0.25 milliliters) of solution of sodium hydroxide to a solution of decigram of hydrastinine hydrochloride in 3 mils of water causes a white turbidity, which, on shaking, should entirely disappear. On prolonged shaking or stirring of this solution, or on standing for some time, pure white crystals of hydrastinine should separate, the supernatant liquid remaining clear and almost free from yellow colour. On ignition the salt should leave no residue.
Very soluble in water, in alcohol (1 in 3), sparingly soluble in chloroform, and still less soluble in ether.
Action and Uses.—Hydrastinine hydrochloride has the physiological action of pure hydrastinine, but is preferred because of its greater solubility in water. It is used by hypodermic injection in 10 per cent. sterile aqueous solution.
Dose.—15 to 30 milligrams (¼ to ½ grain), increased to 60 milligrams (1 grain).
