Abstract
The historical relic of pharmaceutical, opium-containing preparation Laudanum opiatum caesareum from the eighteenth century was analyzed using a multianalytical approach. Inorganic substances were indirectly determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. HPLC and GC connected with mass spectrometry were used for the detection of organic substances. The volatile organic substances were captured by headspace-solid phase microextraction before analysis. From the results, it was possible to largely authenticate the original recipe, although the results show that the period apothecary changed the recipe by omitting some ingredients and by the addition of an extra ingredient. A total of 59 organic substances were detected, most of which served as markers confirming the presence of ingredients according to the period prescription. Besides, it was possible to confirm the assumption from the previous publication that the calculated ratio of the concentration of noscapine and cotarnine can be used as a marker for the age of the opium-containing preparations. The results also demonstrate that even though more than two centuries have passed since the preparation of the analyzed relic, and the container in which it has been stored was not hermetically sealed, it was possible to detect many volatile substances even after such a long time.
Graphic abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Nesměrák K, Kudláček K, Babica J (2017) Monatsh Chem 148:1557
Sneader W (2005) Drug discovery: a history. Wiley, New York
Issekutz B (1971) Die geschichte der arzneimittelforschung. Akadémia Kiadó, Budapest
Macht DI (1915) J Am Med Assoc 64:477
Pagel W (1982) Paracelsus: an introduction to philosophical medicine in the era of the renaissance, 2nd edn. Karger, Basel
Debus AG (1965) The English paracelsians. Oldbourne, London
Hohenheim APTB (1605) Operum medico-chimicorum sive paradoxorum: tomus sextus. Collegium musarum Palthenianarum, Francofurtum
Sigerist HE (1941) Bull Hist Med 9:530
Nesměrák K, Kudláček K, Štícha M, Červený V, Kunešová J, Yildiz I (2018) Monatsh Chem 149:1535
Nesměrák K, Kudláček K, Štícha M, Kozlík P, Červený V, Kunešová J (2019) Monatsh Chem 150:1593
Nesměrák K, Kudláček K, Čambal P, Štícha M, Kozlík P, Červený V (2020) Monatsh Chem 151:1241
Nesměrák K, Kunešová J (2015) Ces Slov Farm 64:79
Collegium Pharmaceuticum (1729) Dispensatorium pharmaceuticum Austriaco-Viennense. Kürner, Vienna
Arata L (2004) Janus Head 7:34
Winkler L (1924) Pharm Monatsh 5:112
Duffin CJ, Moody RTJ, Gardner-Thorpe C (2013) A history of geology and medicine. The Geological Society, London
Barroso MDS (2019) In: Wexler P (ed) Toxicology in antiquity, 2nd edn. Academic Press, London
Evans WC (2009) Trease and Evans pharmacognosy, 16th edn. Elsevier, Edinburgh
Aiello D, Siciliano C, Mazzotti F, Di Donna L, Athanassopoulos CM, Napoli A (2020) Food Chem 307:125527
Higby GJ (1982) Gold Bull 15:130
Hunt LB (1976) Gold Bull 9:134
Governo TF, Alessandro RT, Prager MJ (1977) J Assoc Off Anal Chem 60:160
Li D, Chen B, Zhang L, Gaur U, Ma T, Jie H, Zhao G, Wu N, Xu Z, Xu H, Yao Y, Lian T, Fan X, Yang D, Yang M, Zhu Q, Satkoski Trask J (2016) Sci Rep 6:18975
Plata-Rueda A, Campos JM, da Silva Rolim G, Martínez LC, Dos Santos MH, Fernandes FL, Serrão JE, Zanuncio JC (2018) Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 156:263
Chaieb K, Hajlaoui H, Zmantar T, Kahla-Nakbi AB, Rouabhia M, Mahdouani K, Bakhrouf A (2007) Phytother Res 21:501
Jayaprakasha GK, Rao LJM (2011) Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 51:547
Zhao X, Wu H, Wei J, Yang M (2019) Ind Crops Prod 130:137
Slavik J, Slavikova L (1979) Collect Czechoslov Chem Commun 44:2261
Beaudoin GAW, Facchini PJ (2014) Planta 240:19
Bahçeevli AK, Kurucu S, Kolak U, Topçu G, Adou E, Kingston DGI (2005) J Nat Prod 68:956
Baumer U, Dietemann P, Koller J (2009) Int J Mass Spectrom 284:131
Echard JP, Benoit C, Peris-Vicente J, Malecki V, Gimeno-Adelantado JV, Vaiedelich S (2007) Anal Chim Acta 584:172
Šafařík L, Stránský Z (1986) Titrimetric analysis in organic solvents. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/. Accessed 10 February 2021
http://www.chemspider.com/. Accessed 10 February 2021
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/. Accessed 10 February 2021
https://chemdata.nist.gov/. Accessed 10 February 2021
Acknowledgements
The financial support by the project Progress Q46 of Charles University is gratefully acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nesměrák, K., Štícha, M., Belianský, M. et al. Laudanum opiatum caesareum: authentication of the composition of a historical pharmaceutical preparation from the eighteenth century using a multianalytical approach. Monatsh Chem 152, 1089–1096 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00706-021-02790-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00706-021-02790-y