Library   

VINA MEDICATA - MEDICATED WINES
Vins m�ioinaux, �nol�s, Fr.; Medicinische Weine, G.
All wines were deleted from the U. S. P. IX. The Br. Pharm. 1914 retains sherry wine as a menstruum, and also an " Orange Wine " (see Vimum Aurantii).

The reported advantages of wine as a pharmaceutical menstruum are that, in consequence of the alcohol it contains, it dissolves substances insoluble in water, and, to a certain extent, resists their tendency to spontaneous change, while at the same time it is less stimulating than strong or diluted alcohol, owing to its smaller proportion of alcohol. The acid which it usually contains serves in some instances to increase its solvent power. But most wines, particularly the light varieties, are liable to undergo decomposition, and even the strongest acquire such a liability from the principles which they extract from vegetable substances; so that medicated wines, though they keep better than infusions or decoctions, are inferior in this respect to the tinctures.

The proportion of alcohol, moreover, is not constant, and the preparations, therefore, made with them lacked uniformity. The medicated wines, in consequence of their liability to change, should be prepared in small quantities, from wine of proper identity and strength, and should be kept in a cool place. Detannated wine may be best made by digesting the wine with casein which has the advantages of milk, formerly used, without its diluting effect or the introduction of foreign and undesirable constituents. Gelatin has also been used successfully for the same purpose, but is somewhat inferior to casein, which is now obtainable! either in the soluble or insoluble form. The former should be used and the latter form may be made soluble by the careful use of an alkali. Ferric hydroxide should never be used for detannating wines, for, while it successfully removes the tannin, it also removes other valuable constituents and the acid of the wine always takes up a little of the iron so that a slightly ferruginous preparation results, which is usually undesirable.

VINUM ANTIMONIALE. Br. ANTIMONIAL, WINE
Wine of Antimony; Vin antimonie, Vin emetique, Vin stibie, Fr.; Vinum Stibiatum, P. G.; Breohwein, G.; Vino emetico, Sp.
" Tartarated Antimony, 4 grammes; Distilled Water, boiling, 40 millilitres; Sherry, sufficient to produce 1000 millilitres. Dissolve the Tartarated Antimony in the Distilled Water, and add sufficient Sherry to produce the required volume." Br.
Considerable difficulty is often experienced in effecting a solution of tartar emetic in wine, and precipitation is likely to occur after the solution has been effected. These results are undoubtedly due to the variability in the amount of tannic acid in wines of different type and quality. Paris stated that he had seen the decomposition of the tartar emetic so complete that no traces of the salt could be detected in the supernatant liquid. The difficulty is not avoided by the plan adopted in the Br. of first dissolving the antimonial in water and then adding the wine; for, even allowing that the solution may be accomplished, the same ingredients are present, and their mutual reaction must ultimately result in the same effects. The proper course is to select perfectly pure crystallized tartar emetic, and wine which is low in tannic acid content, to make a permanent solution. The advantages of antimonial wine are that it affords the means of administering minute doses of tartar emetic, and that it is more permanent than an aqueous solution of that salt, which is liable to spontaneous decomposition. It is used only as a diaphoretic or expectorant.
Dose, from ten to thirty minims (0.6-1.8 cc.).

VINUM AURANTII. Br. ORANGE WINE
Vin d'Ecorce d'orange amere, Fr.; Pomeranienwein, G.; Vino de Corteza Naranja amarga, Sp.
" Orange Wine is made by the fermentation of a saccharine solution to which Fresh Bitter-Orange Peel has been added." Br.
This is officially described as " a vinous liquid, having a golden sherry color, and a taste and aroma derived from the Bitter-Orange Peel. Contains from 12 to 14 per cent, by volume of ethyl hydroxide. Not more than slightly acid to litmus. When 50 millilitres are made alkaline with solution of sodium hydroxide, evaporated to a small bulk, acidified with hydrochloric acid, and shaken with benzene, the residue obtained on evaporating the benzene solution, when dissolved in water, does not assume a violet color on the addition of a drop of T. Sol. of ferric chloride (absence of salicylic acid). Yields not more than the slightest characteristic reactions for sulphites." Br. This wine is used as a vehicle, and is the official menstruum for several Br. preparations.

VINUM COLCHICI. Br. COLCHICUM WINE
Vinum Colchici Cormi, N. F. IV; Wine of Colchicum corm; Vinum Colchici Radicis, U. S. 1890; Wine of Colchicum Root; Vin de Bulbe de Colchique, Fr,; Zeitlosenknollenwein, G.; Vino con colchico, It.
" Colchicum Corm, in No. 20 powder, 200 grammes; Sherry, 1000 millilitres. Prepare by the maceration process." Br.
In gout this wine is frequently given in connection with magnesium sulphate. It is a violent poison in overdoses. Two fluidrachms and a half (9.3 cc.) of it are said to have caused death.
Dose, ten to forty minims (0.6-2.5 cc.).

VINUM FERRI. Br. IRON WINE
Vinum Chalybeatum, s. Martiatum; Eisenwein, Stahlwein, G.
" Iron, in wire, 50 grammes; Sherry, 1000 millilitres. In a closed vessel partially immerse the Iron in the Sherry; continue the maceration until the filtered liquid responds to the following test: � Evaporate 50 millilitres to dryness, incinerate the residue, heat the ash with hydrochloric acid diluted with an equal volume of water, filter, wash the filter paper with water, and add to the mixed filtrate and washings excess of solution of ammonia. Collect the precipitate, wash, dry and ignite; the residue weighs not less than 0.089 or more than 0.215 gramme, representing a proportion of not less than 0.125 or more than 0.300 gramme of iron, calculated as iron, Fe, in 100 millilitres of the Wine." Br. (See also Vinum Ferri Citratis.)
When wine is made to react on metallic iron with presence of air, the metal is oxidized, and then unites with the excess of acid of the potassium bitartrate, which is the characteristic salt of wines. The ferruginous salt, therefore, formed is iron and potassium tartrate, or the tartarated iron of the Br. Pharmacopoeia, and this was the old method of preparing the Wine of Iron. But it is obvious that the strength in iron cannot be entirely uniform, as the quantity dissolved must depend on the proportion of the bitartrate in the wine, which is variable, and on various circumstances of the manipulation. In consideration of these objections, it was thought best, in the Br. formula of 1864, to substitute a simple solution in the wine, of the iron and potassium tartrate already formed, and to abandon the old tedious formula. But it is obvious that a solution of the ferruginous salt in wine is not exactly the same as the wine of iron prepared with the metal, as it contains the potassium bitartrate unaltered. For this and other reasons, the Br. Pharmacopoeia has returned to the old method.
Dose, one to four fluidrachms (3.75-15.0 cc.).

VINUM FERRI CITRATIS. Br. WINE OF IRON CITRATE
Vinum Ferri, N. F. IV; Wine of Iron; Vinum Chalybeatum, Wine of Feme Citrate; Vin Chalybe, �nole ferrugineus, Vin ferrugineux, Fr.; Eisenwein, G.; Vino de Citrato Ferrico-amonico, Sp.
"Iron and Ammonium Citrate, 18 grammes; Orange Wine, sufficient to produce 1000 millilitres. Dissolve. Shake occasionally for three days; filter." Br.
Dose, one to four fluidrachms (3.75-15.0 cc.).

 VINUM IPECACUANHAE. Br. IPECACUANHA WINE
Wine of Ipecac; Vin d'lpecacuanha, Fr.; Brechwurzel-wein, G.
"Liquid Extract of Ipecacuanha, 50 millilitres; Sherry, 950 millilitres. Mix; set aside for forty-eight hours; filter." Br.
This wine is much weaker than that formerly recognized by the N. F. IV.
Wine of ipecac possesses all the medicinal properties of the root, and may be used as a substitute when it is desirable to administer the medicine in a liquid form. It is much used as an expectorant and a diaphoretic, and the effects of the Dover's powder may be obtained by combining it with a liquid preparation of opium.
Dose, expectorant, ten to thirty minims (0.6-2 cc.); emetic, four to six fluidrachms (16-20 cc.).

VINUM QUININAE. Br. QUININE WINE
Vin de Quinine, Fr.; Chininwein, G.; Vino de Quina, Sp.
" Quinine Hydrochloride, 2 grammes; Orange Wine, 875 millilitres. Dissolve; filter if necessary." Br.
The Br. Ph., 1898, replaced quinine sulphate used in the 1885 process by quinine hydrochloride on account of the greater solubility of the latter. Each fluidounce contains one grain of quinine hydrochloride.
Dose, one-half to one fluidounce (15-30 cc.).

VINUM XERICUM. Br. SHERRY WINE Vin. Xeric.
" Sherry is a Spanish wine." Br. Sherry wine is not official in either the U. S. P. or N. F.
"Pale yellowish-brown, containing not less than 16 per cent, by volume of ethyl hydroxide. Contains in 100 millilitres not less than 0.1 or more than 0.2 gramme of volatile acids, calculated as acetic acid, HC₂H₃O₂, and not less than 0.3 or more than 0.45 gramme of fixed acids, calculated as tartaric acid, H₂C₄H₄O₆, when tested by the following process :�

(1) Titrate 25 millilitres of the Sherry with N/5 solution of sodium hydroxide, solution of phenolphthalein being used as indicator, and note the number (a) of millilitres of the former solution required.

(2) Introduce 25 millilitres of the Sherry with 25 millilitres of water into a flask capable of holding 200 millilitres and attach a condenser; add 0.5 gramme of tannic acid, and distil gently until about 25 millilitres have been collected. Then pass a current of steam through the residual liquid in the flask, and continue the distillation until about 200 millilitres in all have been collected. Titrate the distillate with N/5 solution of sodium hydroxide, solution of phenolphthalein being used as indicator. The number (b) of millilitres of the former solution required is not less than 2.1 or more than 4.2, representing a proportion of not less than 0.1 or more than 0.2 gramme of volatile acids, calculated as acetic acid, HC₂H₃O₂, in 100 millilitres of the Sherry. Deduct the number (b) of millilitres required in (2) from the number (a) of millilitres required in (1). The difference is not less than 5 or more than 7.5, representing a proportion of not less than 0.3 or more than 0.45 gramme of fixed acids, calculated as tartaric acid, H₂C₄H₄O₆, in 100 millilitres of the Sherry.

When 50 millilitres of the Sherry are made alkaline with solution of sodium hydroxide, evaporated to a small bulk, acidified with hydrochloric acid and shaken with benzene, the residue obtained on evaporating the benzene solution, when dissolved in water, does not assume a violet color on the addition of a drop of T. Sol. of ferric chloride (absence of salicylic acid)." Br.

Editors Note -  The Herbal Pharmacist (Apothecary) Would view the above formulae with a considerable amount of scepticism in 3 areas  Chemical - Medicinal and Philosophic. The subject of wine and the vegetable substances employed are covered in the Pharmageddon herbal. Chapter/Module 9. The objections to such preparations are now universally accepted by the orthodox school. The US NF as included in the USD 1926 may be found on site. It is interesting to note that such preparations were deleted from the U. S. P. IX. However the US NF became legal standard so one may find such prepartions in the NF of the day. 

Chapter/Module 9. Introduction to the Pharmacy of Herbs - Manufacturing the Solvents and Carriers - Alcohol - Fermentation - Yeast Strains - Yeast Ecology - Yeast Food - Yeast Respiration - Environmental Acidity, Fermentation Temperature - The Fermentation Substrata - Sugar - Starch - Glucose - Fructose - Sucrose Starch - Yeast, Enzymes and Alcohol - Sugar and Alcohol in Solution - The Hydrometer - Relationship of Density Scales - SG and Weight Volume Relationships - Using The Tables - Temperature Affect on Volume. Buoyancy Correction - Preparation of Fermentation Liquids - Factors that Influence Fermentation - The Hydrometer and Fermentation Liquids - The Preparation and Use of Invert Sugar - Syruping the Fermentation Liquid - When to Syrup Secondary and Tertiary Fermentation Culturing the Yeasts. Fermentation Air Locks - Sterilization - Summary of Fermentation Processes - Fermentation Products Maintaining a Yeast Strain - Distillation of Alcohol - Distillation and Rectification of Alcohol - SG and Alcohol Strength - The Official Dilute Alcohols - Preparing the Dilute Alcohols - Distilled Water - Preparation of Distilled Water.

Did you find what you were looking for? If not please consult the site library or else use the site search box at the top right hand of the page. If you fail to get results then simply alter your search term(s).

Library