Tinctura Rhei (U. S. P.)—Tincture of Rhubarb.
Related entry: Rheum (U. S. P.)—Rhubarb
Preparation.—"Rhubarb, one hundred grammes (100 Gm.) [3 oz. av., 231 grs.]; cardamom, twenty grammes (20 Gm.) [309 grs.]; glycerin, one hundred cubic centimeters (100 Cc.) [3 fl℥, 183♏︎]; alcohol, water, each, a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Mix the rhubarb and cardamom, and reduce the mixture to a moderately coarse (No. 40) powder. Mix the glycerin with six hundred cubic centimeters (600 Cc.) [20 fl℥, 138♏︎] of alcohol, and three hundred cubic centimeters (300 Cc.) [10 fl℥, 69♏︎]; of water. Moisten the powder with one hundred cubic centimeters (100 Cc.) [3 fl℥, 183♏︎]. of the menstruum, and macerate for 24 hours; then pack it firmly in a cylindrical percolator, and gradually pour on the remainder of the menstruum. When the liquid has disappeared from the surface, gradually pour on more of a mixture of alcohol and water, made in the same proportions as before, and continue the percolation, until one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎] of tincture are obtained"—(U. S. P.). Tincture of rhubarb deposits upon standing yellow, granular, or crystalline matter, a mixture of chrysophanic acid and emodin, together with some other rhubarb constituents. The U. S. P. aims to prevent this precipitation by directing the use of glycerin and strong alcohol. This does not wholly prevent this phenomenon.
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—This tincture is purgative, stomachic, and tonic. It is principally used in flatulent colic, dyspepsia, constipation, and rarely in low forms of fever. The dose, as a purgative, is from ½ to 1 fluid ounce; as a stomachic, 1, 2, or 3 fluid drachms.
Related Tinctures.—TINCTURA RHEI VINOSA (N. F.), Vinous tincture of rhubarb. "Fluid extract of rhubarb (U. S. P.), eighty cubic centimeters (80 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 339♏︎]; fluid extract of bitter orange peel (U. S. P.), twenty cubic centimeters (20 Cc.) [325♏︎]; tincture of cardamom (U. S. P.), eighty cubic centimeters (80 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 339♏︎]; sugar, one hundred and twenty-five grammes (125 Gm.) [4 ozs. av., 179 grs.]; sherry wine, a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Mix the fluid extracts and the tinctures with five hundred cubic centimeters (500 Cc.) [16 fl℥, 435♏︎] of sherry wine. In this dissolve the sugar by agitation, then add enough sherry wine to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎], and filter. Note.—This preparation corresponds, in strength, to that which is official in the German Pharmacopoeia."—(Nat. Form.).
TINCTURA RHEI ET GENTIANAE (N. F.), Tincture of rhubarb and gentian.—I. "Rhubarb, seventy grammes (70 Gm.) [2 ozs. av., 205 grs,]; gentian, seventeen and one-half grammes (17.5 Gm.) [270 grs.]; diluted alcohol (U. S. P.), a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Reduce the solids to a moderately coarse (No. 40) powder, and percolate it, in the usual manner, with diluted alcohol, until one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎] of percolate are obtained. Each fluid drachm represents 4 grains of rhubarb and 1 grain of gentian. Note.—When this preparation is required for immediate use, and it is not otherwise obtainable, it may be prepared in the following manner: II. Fluid extract of rhubarb (U.S. P.), seventy cubic centimeters (70 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 176♏︎]; fluid extract of gentian (U.S. P.), seventeen and one-half cubic centimeters (17.5 Cc.) [284♏︎]; diluted alcohol (U. S. P.), a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Mix the fluid extracts with enough diluted alcohol to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎], and filter"—(Nat. Form.).
TINCTURA RHEI AQUOSA (N. F.), Aqueous tincture of rhubarb.—I. "Rhubarb, one hundred grammes (100 Gm.) [3 ozs. av., 231 grs.]; sodium borate, ten grammes (10 Gm.) [154 grs.]; potassium carbonate, ten grammes (10 Gm.) [154 grs.]; cinnamon water (U. S. P.), one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (150 Cc.) [5 fl℥, 35♏︎], alcohol, one hundred and twenty cubic centimeters (120 Cc.) [4 fl℥, 28♏︎]; water, a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [93 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Dissolve the sodium borate and the potassium carbonate in seven hundred cubic centimeters (700 Cc.) [93 fl℥, 321♏︎] of water, and macerate in this solution, during 24 hours, the rhubarb, cut into thin slices and carefully freed from any adhering fine powder. Then strain it through muslin, heat the strained liquid to boiling, add the cinnamon water and alcohol, stir it well and filter, while warm, in a covered funnel. To the cold filtrate add enough water to make the product measure one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Each fluid drachm represents about 5 ⅔ grains of rhubarb. Note.—The product is practically identical with that obtained by the process of the Ger. Pharm., in which this preparation is official. It is liable to deteriorate when kept too long, and should not be prepared in larger quantity than may be consumed within a short time. When this preparation is required for immediate use, and it is not otherwise obtainable, it may be prepared in the following manner: II. Fluid extract of rhubarb (U. S. P.), one hundred cubic centimeters (100 Cc.) [3 fl℥, 183♏︎]; sodium borate, ten grammes (10 Gm.) [154 grs.]; potassium carbonate, ten grammes (10 Gm.) [154 grs.]; cinnamon water (U. S. P.), one hundred and fifty cubic centimeters (150 Cc.) [5 fl℥, 35♏︎]; alcohol, seventy-five cubic centimeters (75 Cc.) [2 fl℥, 257♏︎]; water, a sufficient quantity to make one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Dissolve the sodium borate and the potassium carbonate in about five hundred cubic centimeters (500 Cc.) [16 fl℥, 435♏︎] of water. Add the cinnamon water, alcohol, and fluid extract of rhubarb, and lastly, enough water to make the product measure one thousand cubic centimeters (1000 Cc.) [33 fl℥, 391♏︎]. Filter if necessary"—(Nat. Form.).
TINCTURA RHEI COMPOSITA, Compound tincture of rhubarb.—Take of rhubarb, in fine powder, 4 ounces; bitter root, golden seal, gentian, prickly ash berries, each, in fine powder, 2 ounces; sassafras, cardamom seeds, each, in fine powder, 1 ounce; diluted alcohol, 5 pints, or a sufficient quantity. Form into a tincture by maceration or percolation, as explained under Tincturae, and make 5 pints of tincture. Compound tincture of rhubarb is laxative, tonic, and stomachic; it is especially useful in debilitated conditions of the digestive organs, hepatic torpor, dyspepsia, constipation, and to restore the tone of the bowels after the removal of worms, after diarrhoeas, dysenteries, etc. The dose is from ½ to 1 fluid ounce, 2 or 3 times a day, in sweetened water, or sufficient to procure one, but not over two alvine evacuations daily (J. King).
