Peppermint Spirit
»Peppermint Spirit contains,in each 100mL,not less than 9.0mLand not more than 11.0mLof peppermint oil.
Peppermint Oil 100mL
Peppermint,in coarse powder 10g
Alcohol,a sufficient quantity,to make 1000mL
Macerate the peppermint leaves,freed as much as possible from stems and coarsely powdered,for 1hour in 500mLof purified water,and then strongly express them.Add the moist,macerated leaves to 900mLof alcohol,and allow the mixture to stand for 6hours with frequent agitation.Filter,and to the filtrate add the oil and add alcohol to make the product measure 1000mL.
Packaging and storage— Preserve in tight containers,protected from light.
Alcohol content,Method IIá611ñ: between 79.0%and 85.0%of C2H5OH.
Assay— Transfer 5.0mLof Spirit to a Babcock bottle,graduated to 8%,add 1.0mLof kerosene,and mix.Add saturated calcium chloride solution,acidified with hydrochloric acid,almost to fill the bulb of the bottle.Rotate the bottle vigorously to ensure mixing,and then add a sufficient quantity of the calcium chloride solution to bring the separated oil into the neck of the bottle.Centrifuge at about 1500rpm for 5minutes,and read the volume of oil in the stem.Subtract five divisions for the kerosene added,and multiply the remaining number of divisions by 4.2to obtain the volume,in mL,of peppermint oil in 100mLof the Spirit.
Auxiliary Information— Staff Liaison:Catherine Sheehan,B.Sc.,Scientist
Expert Committee:(EMC)Excipients:Monograph Content
USP28–NF23Page 1514
Phone Number:1-301-816-8262