FACTORS INFLUENCE THE ALKALOIDAL CONTENT OF ARECA DECOCTION IN ITS PREPARATION

The influence of fineness of areca powder on the assay method and on the alkaloidal content of areca decoction, the influence of the time length of decoction on the alkaloidal content and a comparison of extracting efficiency between infusion and decoction in this respect are reported with the following findings: 1. The areca powder mentioned in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 1953, is too coarse to be used for assay purpose, while No. 60 powder gives a satisfactory result. 2. The alkaloidal content of areca decoction prepared from No. 10 powder is not much different from that of the decoction prepared from No. 20 powder. Decoction prepared from No. 40 powder shows a little increase in alkaloidal content. The loss of alkaloids during decoction is up to 52.9% of the original content used. 3. The time length for decoction (30 minutes) described in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 1953, is reasonable. No improvement in alkaloidal content has ever been obtained even by extending the decocting period to 2 hours, while the shortening of the decocting period to 15 minutes further reduces the alkaloidal content. 4. The extracting efficiency of areca infusion is lower than that of decoction. It is interesting to note that finer powder gives infusion a smaller alkaloidal content.