27 CFR § 21.99 - Brucine alkaloid.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t27/s21.99"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "27 CFR § 21.99 - Brucine alkaloid."
title_number: 27
title_name: "Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms"
section_number: "21.99"
section_name: "Brucine alkaloid."
chapter_name: "ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "ALCOHOL"
part_number: "21"
part_name: "FORMULAS FOR DENATURED ALCOHOL AND RUM"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 552(a); 26 U.S.C. 5242, 7805."
regulatory_source: "T.D. ATF-133, 48 FR 24673, June 2, 1983, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "21"
---


# 21.99 Brucine alkaloid.

(a) *Identification test.* Add a few drops of concentrated nitric acid to about 10 mg of brucine alkaloid. A vivid red color is produced. Dilute the red solution with a few drops of water and add a few drops of freshly made dilute stannous chloride solution. A reddish purple (violet) color is produced.

(b) *Melting point.* 178 °±1 °C. Dry the alkaloid in an oven for one hour at 100 °C., increase the temperature to 110° and dry to a constant weight before taking melting point.

Brucine alkaloid tetrahydrate melts at 105 °C. while the anhydrous form melts at 178 °C.

(c) *Strychnine test.* Brucine alkaloid shall be free of strychnine when tested by the method listed under Brucine Sulfate, N.F. IX.

If the brucine contains as much as 0.05 percent strychnine, a clear distinctive violet color, characteristic of strychnine, will be obtained.

(d) *Sulfate test.* No white precipitate is formed that is not dissolved by hydrochloric acid when several drops of a 1 N barium chloride solution are added to 10 mL of a solution of the alkaloid.

[T.D. ATF-133, 48 FR 24673, June 2, 1983. Redesignated by T.D. ATF-442, 66 FR 12854, Mar. 1, 2001]