Tinctura Calumbae. U. S., Br. Tincture of Calumba. Tr. Calumb.

Botanical name: 

Related entries: Calumba

Tinctura Colombo; Teinture (alcoole) de Colombo, Fr. Cod.; Kolombotinktur, G., Tintura alcoholica de Colombo, Sp.

"Calumba, in No. 20 powder, two hundred grammes [or 7 ounces av., 24 grains]; to make one thousand mils [or 33 fluidounces, 6 ½ fluidrachms]. Prepare a Tincture by Type Process P, packing the moistened drug moderately, and using a mixture of three volumes of alcohol and two volumes of water as the menstruum." U. S.

"Calumba Root, in No. 20 powder, 100 grammes; Alcohol (60 per cent.), 1000 millilitres. Prepare by the maceration process." Br.

This tincture was doubled in strength at the U. S. P. (VIII) in order to bring it into the class of 20 per cent. non-potent tinctures. The British tincture 1914 retains the strength of 10 Gm. of drug in each 100 mils.

Joseph Ince recommends that the tincture be prepared from the root as found in commerce, without further slicing or powdering it. Made as he proposes, the tincture is clear and bright; . while if the powdered root is used it will be very turbid, even after filtration. (P. J., xiv, 491.) No. 20 powder is now directed instead of the No. 50 powder used in older Pharmacopoeias. Tincture of calumba may be added to tonic 'infusions or decoctions, to increase their stimulant power, but, like all the other bitter tinctures, should be used with caution.

Dose, of the U. S. tincture one-half to one fluidrachm (1.8-3.75 mils), of the Br. tincture one to two fluidrachms (3.75-7.5 mils).


The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 1918, was edited by Joseph P. Remington, Horatio C. Wood and others.