The Home Scientist 022 - Testing for Alkaloids with Dragendorff Reagent

[keywestskoko]

I'm interested in your comment, "These tablets contain 262 mg of bismuth subsalicylate per tablet, which is equivalent in bismuth mass to about 212 mg of bismuth subnitrate." Can you walk me through the math that leads you to that conclusion.

[hallsan]

Great demo of Dragendorff Reagent. I wonder if I can use it to test comfrey herbal infusions for pyrrolizidine alkaloids. I have been assured that Symphytum uplandica x, a hybrid of comfrey species, does not contain these alkaloids, but I would like to reassure myself that the dried herb I am using is actually the hybrid and not the species. Would this reagent give me conclusive evidence, do you think?

[acemeister666]

He seems to say "You can't see it on camera" a LOT.

[mjweed420]

im no chemist but lets say i wanted to extract alkaloids from the roots of a burdock plant for an anti inflammatory or say take the roots of a cannabis sativa and make a pain relief cream how would go by doing that, i know most alkaloids are poorly soluble in water but im guessing they dissolve more or less in a acidic solution. not sure what i would use though

[douro20]

It may be possible to do an even more sensitive test using a colorimetric analyzer, such as LaMotte's Smart colorimeter.

[Caesarke]

Great video,,and thank you for outlining the risks of performing such test@ home

its better to be safe than sorry.

[altosax1st]

Where does one acquire chemicals needed for this experiment that is not usually found in homes?

[TheHomeScientist]

@altosax1st

You can get all of these chemicals from most lab suppliers, such as Elemental Scientific or HMS-Beagle.

[therese580]

@TheHomeScientist can i use this to test alkaloid dioscorine which is usually found in Dioscorea hispda? alkaloid dioscorine is soluble in water though

[sikidiki22]

Ignore all the people telling you to shorten the intro, Microwave show has a pretty long intro and this one is cool, nicely edited as well keep up the good work, im no scientist but i enjoy watching your videos anways

[Seaprimate]

lol, you were like, Alkaloids in one monkshood plant is strong enough to kill you and 99 other people, that being said, I'll show you how to extract it...

[AgentCROCODILE]

Is it necessary to have a 30+ second long intro at the beginning of every movie? How about just a 10 or 5 second one? It can get annoying having it so long in every video.

[QuantumWasteland]

I like the idea of a your video intro; I might try something like this after I post more videos.

[BrotherBloat]

very interesting stuff - I like the new intro, nice one KK and THS! :)

[glenwoofit]

Having intros gets annoying when your watching alot ot vids

[twostringguitar]

30 second intro? Try for less than seventeen.

[Canonpixmalogitechko]

I wonder if you could used this method for testing for muscarine and muscimol in amanita muscaria?

[TheHomeScientist]

@Canonpixmalogitechko

Muscarine should react with Dragendorff's. Obviously, you need to use extreme caution.

[jbohbot1]

love the new intro!! kipkay, your awsome!

[eveningniteshade]

you really don't want a 32 second intro on internet videos, it will get annoying & repetitive, I don't think they even use 30sec intro's on tv shows anymore. ,Maybe just use 10 seconds of the last shot with the test tubes and your channel name.

I appreciate the video though, I have various samples of kava roots & was interested in testing the levels of pipermethystine which destroys the liver. The medicinal effects of kava come from Kavalactones.

Lactones should not cause a reaction?

[TheHomeScientist]

@eveningniteshade

Alas, you will get false positives from at least some lactones.

[WinstMart]

@eveningniteshade I just tested the "84%" kavalactone paste from kona kava using dragendorff rgnt and regardless of weather it had pipermethystine it clearly did NOT react... mkes sense the kavalactones arent nitrogenous so i think you could. Also note: 84% kavalactone paste with Marquis: maroon/ brown

with Froede is red to black

[WinstMart]

@eveningniteshade I dont know how you would seperate the various other Nious compounds from the root tho...

[Desovamed]

cool intro, scientist

[coolliger]

I like the intro. Great video.

[JaSamGovno94]

excellent intro, channel, and awesome book ;P

[aecm262]

love the intro

[reubenthorpe1992]

i think this was perfect but the intro was kinda chezzy

[pudidotdk]

As already mentioned, intro is too long

[panzuman]

i love your stuff its so intrigueing not my area of liking this vid but still i love it!

[Marimori91]

but still you need to speak up a little

[Marimori91]

wow cool new intro kudos^^

[chemiealex]

Yes, the intro is a little bit too long, but really really cool!

Very interesting video!

[TheHomeScientist]

Far be it from me to edit the great Kip Kay.

[keegsss]

@TheHomeScientist too true

[Serostern]

Intro is a tad too long.

20sec would be better.