(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.
Note. Brucine alkaloid tetrahydrate melts at 105 °C. while the anhydrous form melts at 178 °C.
(c) Strychnine test. Brucine alkaloid shall be free of strychnine when tested by the method listed under Brucine Sulfate, N.F. IX.
Note. If the brucine contains as much as 0.05 percent strychnine, a clear distinctive violet color, characteristic of strychnine, will be obtained.
(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.
[T.D. ATF-133, 48 FR 24673, June 2, 1983. Redesignated by T.D. ATF-442, 66 FR 12854, Mar. 1, 2001]
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