Morphinae Sulphas. Morphine Sulphate.
Related entries: Opium - Poppy Capsules - Cotarnine - Cotarnine Hydrochloride - Morphine - Morphine Acetate - Morphine Hydrochloride - Morphine Sulphate - Morphine Tartrate - Narceine - Narcotine - Red poppy petals - Meconic acid
C34H40N2O10S, 5H2O = 758.49.
Morphine sulphate, (C17H19NO3)2, H2SO4, 5H2O, may be prepared by neutralising pure morphine, suspended in hot water, with diluted sulphuric acid, concentrating the solution, cooling, and setting it aside to crystallise. It is official in the U.S.P. It occurs in white, odourless, acicular crystals, or in cubical masses, permanent in the air, and having a bitter taste. It loses three molecules of water at 100°. The salt assumes a brown colour when heated to about 250°, and then chars without melting. On ignition it is consumed very slowly, and leaves no residue. Its solution is neutral to litmus, and yields, on the addition of ammonia, a precipitate which should respond to the tests for morphine. Assayed gravimetrically it should yield 75 per cent. of anhydrous morphine.
Soluble in water (1 in 21), alcohol (1 in 700); insoluble in ether or chloroform.
Action and Uses.—Morphine sulphate has the general properties of the salts of morphine, and was formerly official in the B.P. It is used in the form of Liquor Morphinae Sulphatis, but may also be given in pills containing 16 milligrams (¼ grain). In cases of poisoning by morphine sulphate the antidotes are those of morphine.
Dose.—8 to 30 milligrams (⅛ to ½ grain).
PREPARATIONS.
- Liquor Morphinae Sulphatis, B.P., 1885.—SOLUTION OF MORPHINE SULPHATE.
- Morphine sulphate, 1; alcohol, 25; distilled water, sufficient to produce 100. Dissolve the morphine sulphate in 20 of the water; then add the alcohol, and, finally, sufficient distilled water to make up to the required volume. This preparation was formerly used in medicine, but is not now in favour. Dose.—½ to 4 mils (10 to 60 minims).
- Pulvis Morphinae Compositus, U.S.P.—COMPOUND MORPHINE POWDER.
- Morphine sulphate, 1.5; camphor, in fine powder, 32; liquorice root, in No. 80 powder, 33; precipitated calcium carbonate, 33.5. Average dose.—5 decigrams (7 ½ grains).
