ephedrine extraction for fun

[ron45]

I'd like to learn more about simple extraction chemistry if there is such a thing. I'd like to be able to safely extract active substances from plants. Ephedra Sinica specifically.

I'm not looking to go into biddmiss, but I don't like being told I can't use such a simple beneficial substance. No toxic extraction chemicals please. Perhaps because I'm so ignorant on the subject I am unaware of techniques for using them that leave no residue. But for someone like myself I think it would be better to stay with steam or alcohol. The kind you could drink.

Thanks for your time.

Ron

 

[Solipsis]

Yes there is such a thing as simple extraction chemistry, I often say making tea or coffee is a crude form of this.

Ephedrine is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, chloroform, and oils (ref= J Am Pharm Assoc 30, 275 (1941))

- So you start out soaking the plant material in solvent (get IPA I would say), not an excess of course.
- Filter and repeat a number of times.
- Pool the solvent together
- Evaporate the solvent, optionally by encouraging it with some heat [though do not apply an open flame to IPA since it is flamable!]

 

[sekio]

Boil the stuff in hot water. That's your extract.

Can't get much simpler than that.