Aromatic waters are clear, saturated aqueous solutions of volatile oils or other aromatic or volatile substances. Aromatic waters may be prepared by distillation or solution of the aromatic substance, with or without the use of dispersing agents. Chloroform water is simple aromatic water, which contains purified water as a solvent but does not contain alcohol. It is saturated solution of chloroform in purified water.
Chloroform (CHCl3) is a clear colorless
liquid having specific gravity 1.474 to 1.479 and possesses characteristic odor
with burning sweet taste. The solubility of chloroform is 1 in 800 parts of
water. In the preparation of chloroform water, vigorous shaking is required to
subdivide the chloroform in small globules for enhancing its solubility.
Dispersing agents are not required in this preparation.
Formula: Chloroform water PCx
Chloroform 0.25ml
Purified water, freshly boiled and cooled to 100ml
Apparatus
Glass beaker, measuring cylinder and volumetric
pipette.
Procedure
Measure the required quantity of chloroform. Add
sufficient quantity of purified water to make the required volume with constant
stirring so that chloroform gets uniformly mixed. Transfer in clean amber
colored glass container and close it tightly.
Category:
Preservative vehicle of liquid medicines.
Dose: 15 to 30 ml.
Therapeutic
Use
Chloroform water is used principally for perfuming,
flavoring the formulation and also used as vehicle and preservative.
Storage
It should be stored in airtight, light resistance
container in cool place. Aromatic waters deteriorate with time and it should be
made in small quantities and protected from intense light and excessive
heat.
Label The
label should have the caution ‘PROTECT FROM SUN LIGHT’ with red ink due to the
presence of volatile constituent in the preparation; chloroform forms harmful
phosgene gas in presence of light.
Caution
The use of chloroform is controversial, because it
has shown to cause cancer in certain animals. There are restrictions on the use
of chloroform today in many countries; for example in the USA it has been
withdrawn from the market, whereas in Zimbabwe and Great Britain the supply of
medicinal products containing less than 0.5% chloroform is allowed. Most liquid
oral preparations, to which it is added as preservative, contain chloroform in
the concentration of 0.25%. Certainly, the inclusion of preservatives in such
preparations is very important, especially in tropical climate
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