GALENICALS

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS
 EXTRACTION

• Extraction term Pharmaceutically involves the separation of

medicinally active portions of plant or animal tissues from the

inactive or inert components by using selective solvents in

standard extraction procedures.

 EXTRACTION PROCESSES

INFUSION DECOCTION MACERATION / PERCOLATION

DIGESTION
Fresh Concentrated Simple Percolation Continuous
Infusion Infusion Percolation Process for Hot Percolation
Conc. Preparation (Soxhlation)

Simple Multiple Maceration with

Reserved Modified
.
Maceration Maceration adjustment
Percolation Percolation

Double Triple
Maceration Maceration
 INFUSION
• An infusion is a dilute solution of the readily
soluble constituents of crude drugs
• Fresh infusions are prepared by macerating
the solids for a short period of time with
either cold or boiling water
 Decoction
• Once this was a popular process for extracts of
water soluble and heat stable constituents
from crude drugs by boiling in water for
15min,cooling ,straining and passing sufficient
cold water through the drug to produce the
required volume
 Digestion
• This is a form of maceration in which gentle
heat is used during the process of extraction.
• It is used when moderately elevated
temperatures is not objectionable and the
solvent efficiency of the menstruum is
increased.
 Maceration
• Maceration -“The process in which properly
comminuted drug is placed or permitted to soak in a
solvent for specific period of time until the cellular
structure is softened and penetrated by the solvent and
soluble constituents are dissolved and extracted out”.
• In this process the solid ingredients are placed in a
stoppered container with prescribed solvent and
allowed to stand for 3 days with frequent agitation
• The soluble matter dissolved will be filtered. Magma
(gel-like left out) will be washed with sufficient quantity
of prescribed solvent (mixtures) and the filtrates
combined.
 Percolation
• Ground solids are mixed with appropriate solvents to
make them damp
• Allowed to stand for 15min
• Transferred to a percolator and packed
• Sufficient prescribed solvent is added to saturate the solids
• The solids are allowed to macerate for 24hrs or for a
prescribed time
• The percolates are collected
• If necessary percolate is diluted with the solvent to
produce a solution to meet the standards.
INFUSION POT PERCLATOR PACKED WITH CRUDE DRUG
PERCOLATR WITH STEAM JACKET SIMPLE PERCOLATOR
PERCOLATOR FOR VOLATILE PERCOLATOR FOR OPERATION UNDER
MENSTRUUM REDUCED PRESSURE
 HOT CONTINUOUS PERCOLATION
BASKET PRESS
 EXTRACTION METHODS Examples

A. MACERATION Tincture of Orange

i) Simple maceration Tincture of Lemon
Tincture of Squill.
 
ii) Maceration of unorganized drug / Maceration Tincture of Tolu Balsam
with adjustment Compound Tincture of Benzoin
 
 

iii) Multiple Maceration Concentrated infusion of orange.

a) Double maceration Concentrated infusion of chirata
Concentrated infusion of gentian
 
Concentrated infusion of Quassia
b) Triple maceration Concentrated infusion of Senna
 
 EXTRACTION METHODS Examples

B. PERCOLATION Tincture of Belladonna

Compound tincture of cardamom
i) Simple percolation Strong tincture of ginger etc.

ii) Reserved percolation Liquid extract of Liquorice

iii)Continuous hot percolation / Cantharidin from cantharides

Soxhlation Alkaloids from seeds
 
Fresh infusion of Quassia
C. INFUSION
iv) Fresh infusion Concentrated compound infusion of
chirata
ii) Concentrated infusion Concentrated compound infusion of
gentian

D. DECOCTION
No official preparations in IP or BP.
 Comparison between the methods of extraction
Extraction method Time for extraction Temperature Characteristics of
the active
constituents
Maceration 3-7 days Room temp Soluble in the
menstruum
Heat stable /
unstable

Percolation 24 hours Room temp Soluble in the

menstruum
Heat stable /
unstable

Digestion Few days Moderately high Heat stable

Cold or boiling water

Infusion Short period Boiling water Readily soluble

Decoction 15 mins Boiling water Water soluble

Heat stable
EXTRACTIVE PREPARATIONS
 TINCTURES

• Defined as alcoholic or hydroalcoholic

solutions prepared from vegetable materials
or chemical substances(Iodine tincture)
• Potency can be adjusted following the assay
• 10gm drug/100ml tincture (Potent tincture)
 Fluid extracts

• Defined as liquid preparations of vegetable

drugs containing alcohol as a solvent or as
preservative or both
• Each ml fluid extract = 1gm standard drug
 EXTRACTS – FORM WISE
Solid/Pilular extracts
• Have consistency to be used as pills
• Also suited for ointments and suppositories
preparation
• Ex:Pure Glycyrrhiza extract
 EXTRACTS – FORM WISE
Powdered extracts
• Better suited to be incorporated as dry
formulations as in capsules
• Drugs that contain inactive oily or fatty matter
should be defatted inorder to avoid possible
loss of activity of the active constituents
• Ex:
• Belladona extract USP
 EXTRACTS – FORM WISE
Semiliquid extracts or extracts of syrupy
consistency
• They are used to prepare pharmaceutical
preparations
• Mostly they are medicinal agents with
therapeutic property as well as they are used
as vehicles