Cotarninae Hydrochloridum. Cotarnine Hydrochloride.
Related entries: Opium - Poppy Capsules - Cotarnine - Cotarnine Hydrochloride - Morphine - Morphine Acetate - Morphine Hydrochloride - Morphine Sulphate - Morphine Tartrate - Narceine - Narcotine - Red poppy petals - Meconic acid
C12H16NO4Cl = 273.598.
Cotarnine hydrochloride, C12H15NO4,HCl, may be prepared by dissolving cotarnine in hydrochloric acid, and on evaporating the resulting solution the salt crystallises out. Cotarnine hydrochloride is also known under the trade-name Stypticin. It occurs as a pale yellow, very stable, crystalline powder, having a bitter taste. On dissolving 1 decigram in 3 mils of water and adding 3 drops of 15 per cent. sodium hydroxide solution a turbidity is produced, which disappears on shaking. From this clear solution the free base soon crystallises, especially on stirring with a glass rod.
Readily soluble in water and in alcohol, forming yellow solutions; soluble also in warm absolute alcohol and precipitated from the solution in a crystalline state by ether.
Action and Uses.—The salts of cotarnine excite the uterus and set up uterine contractions. The calibre of the arterioles is usually unchanged, and the coagulation time of the blood is not affected. Their rational application appears therefore to be limited to cases of uterine haemorrhage. Cotarnine hydrochloride is used as a styptic and has been recommended in all forms of uterine haemorrhage, especially menorrhagia and the bleeding from uterine fibroids. It may beadministered in powders or mixed with an equal quantity of powdered marshmallow root and enclosed in cachets; or in aqueous solution, internally or hypodermically. It is used externally in the form of wool (30 per cent.) and gauze, or a 2 per cent. solution is applied on a tampon. Bougies to check bleeding from the urethra may contain 3 centigrams (½ grain) each. The wool may be used to plug the nose in epistaxis, or to stop bleeding after tooth extraction.
Dose.—2 to 10 centigrams (⅓ to 1 ½ grains).
