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The New |
P. harmala alkaloid extraction - From "The Alkaloids" Vol. II by Manske Extraction of alkaloids from Peganum harmalaThe crushed seeds of Peganum harmala are covered with three times their weight of water containing 30 g of acetic acid per liter of water [white vinegar is about 50g / l or 5 %]. The seeds swell as they absorb the liquid and form a thick dough which is pressed after 2-3 days. The pressed seeds are once more treated as above with twice their weight of dilute acetic acid and, after maceration, the liquid is again pressed out. To the combined liquors, sodium chloride [that's table salt, man] (100g. / liter of liquid) is added to transform the acetates of harmine and harmaline into the hydrochlorides which are insoluble in cold sodium chloride solutions and are precipitated during cooling.The supernatant liquid is siphoned off, the crystalline residue filtered with suction and redissolved in hot water. Addition of sodium chloride to the filtered solution causes the precipitation of the hydrochlorides as a crystalline mush and this process is repeated until the hydrochlorides have acquired a yellow color. The final product is then recovered by filtration. - From "The Alkaloids" Vol. II by Manske (p393) <
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