(a) Identification test. Add a few drops of concentrated nitric acid to about 10 mg of brucine alkaloid. A vivid red color is produced. Dilute the red solution with a few drops of water and add a few drops of freshly made dilute stannous chloride solution. A reddish purple (violet) color is produced.
(b) Melting point. 178 °±1 °C. Dry the alkaloid in an oven for one hour at 100 °C., increase the temperature to 110° and dry to a constant weight before taking melting point.
Brucine alkaloid tetrahydrate melts at 105 °C. while the anhydrous form melts at 178 °C.
(c) Strychnine test. Brucine alkaloid shall be free of strychnine when tested by the method listed under Brucine Sulfate, N.F. IX.
If the brucine contains as much as 0.05 percent strychnine, a clear distinctive violet color, characteristic of strychnine, will be obtained.
(d) Sulfate test. No white precipitate is formed that is not dissolved by hydrochloric acid when several drops of a 1 N barium chloride solution are added to 10 mL of a solution of the alkaloid.
[T.D. ATF-133, 48 FR 24673, June 2, 1983. Redesignated by T.D. ATF-442, 66 FR 12854, Mar. 1, 2001]