Page 317 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

Yugoslavian Opium: occurs in oblong cakes with rounded ends, each
weighing 160-225 g, being about 18-20 x 6-7.5 x 1.5-2.4 cm; externally, either
coated with broken poppy leaves and are green in color, or devoid of poppy leaves
and are dark brown. It contains about 15-17 % of morphine and from 10-12 % of
moisture.

A and B , cakes of Turkish manipulated opium;
C, cake of raw opium wrapped in poppy leaf;
D, instrument with seven small knives for incising the
capsules.

A, Persian opium wrapped in red paper;
B, Yugoslavian opium showing marks of wire netting.
C, Indian opium wrapped in white papper.

Tests for Identity
1- Examination of vegetable debris: Exhaust about 1 g of opium with water, and

examine the insoluble residue microscopically; it shows more or less granular or
irregular brown to yellow fragments of the outer epidermis of the poppy
capsules, with thick-walled, pitted, polygonal or isodiametric to elongated
epidermal cells and few large stomata of ranunculaceous type; rarely
collenchymatous hypo-dermal cells; few fragments of the tissues of the poppy
leaves, with thin-walled polygonal cells of the upper epidermis having no
stomata, and with slightly wavy-walled cells of the lower epidermis having
numerous large stomata of ranun-culaceous type; fragments of mesophyll, very
rarely spiral vessels, tracheids; round starch granules, 2-12 μ in diameter; pollen
grains, 16-40 μ in diameter, and occasionally of Rumex fruits.
2- Test for meconic acid: Extract about 0.1 g of opium with alcohol containing few
drops of dilute HCl. Evaporate the alcoholic extract nearly to dryness on a
boiling water-bath. Boil the residue with distilled water treat with little MgO and
filter while hot. Concentrate the filtrate, which contains Mg meconate, acidify

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