Ultrasonic energy was applied to the extraction of belladonna leaf U.S.P. to demonstrate possible advantages over official extraction methods. The ultrasonic generator used operated at a frequency of 500 kc. It is composed of a radio frequency oscillator from which power is fed at high voltage to a quartz crystal immersed in an oil bath. The material to be treated was placed in the treatment vessel, attached to an adjustable support and lowered into the oil bath. Two types of treatment vessels were used: the first vessel was only partially submerged in the oil bath; while the other was designed for complete submersion in the oil bath. Subjection of the ammoniated ether, alcohol maceration mixture of the powdered leaf in the surface type vessel to ultrasonic energy for only twenty minutes gave results comparable to the official overnight (approximately 12 hr) maceration period. More efficient utilization of ultrasonic energy was possible by use of the totally submerged treatment vessel. The results indicate that complete extraction was obtained in twenty minutes with a 5-g sample, while a 10-g sample took approximately 90 min. These two times are in contrast with the overnight maceration and subsequent 3-hr Soxhlet extraction required by the U.S.P. method. The results obtained indicate a possible explanation of the beneficial effect observed. Increased agitation will speed extraction. Violent agitation was observed in these experiments. Heat will generally speed extraction. Acceleration of the powdered leaf particles would give rise to heating effects. Cavitation took place during performance of ultrasonic maceration in the open treatment vessel, and possibly occurred during extraction in the submerged vessel, but could not be observed. Collapse of the cavities formed during cavitation causes pressure to be built up locally and this, also, tends to accelerate partition. Reduction of particle size will normally speed extraction procedures. A particle size reduction occurred in submerged extraction. The contribution of each of these effects has not been firmly established and further investigation is necessary to determine the actual mechanism of ultrasonic extraction. [Paper abstracted from a thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska by Paul E. Wray, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. (Presented to the Scientific Section, A.Ph.A., Los Angeles, April, 1958.) Published in J. Am. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed. 47, 823 (1958)].
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.