Scholarlink

<p>The study presents a comprehensive multianalytical investigation of thirteen eighteenth-century inorganic pharmaceutical residues originating from the exceptionally preserved Baroque pharmacy of the Capuchin monastery in Prague. Since the historical Latin signatures on the majority of apothecary jars were only partially preserved or completely missing, the true chemical identities of the contents were largely unknown. We employed a combination of non-destructive, sample-conserving structural and phase analyses (Raman spectroscopy, DRIFTS, and PXRD) alongside destructive quantitative methods (ICP-MS, UV/Vis spectrometry, and CZE). This methodology successfully elucidated the true composition of all samples, revealing a diverse array of natural minerals (e.g., tremolite, goethite, hydromagnesite, tschermigite) and synthetically prepared compounds (e.g., potassium sulfate, potassium hydrogen tartrate, potassium sodium tartrate). The analyses highlighted intriguing historical pharmaceutical practices, including the possible substitution of laborious synthetic preparations with visually similar natural minerals, the misidentification of rare minerals (tschermigite for alum), and the rapid adoption of newly discovered medicines (Seignette salt). Furthermore, the study demonstrates that while non-destructive spectroscopic and diffraction techniques are vital for molecular and phase identification, their integration with quantitative elemental and ionic analyses is essential for fully resolving complex pharmaceutical mixtures, identifying trace impurities, and authenticating historical <i>materia medica</i>.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Multianalytical identification of eighteenth-century inorganic pharmaceuticals of uncertain or unknown nature: comparison of applicability and information yield of the employed analytical methods

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月5日

查看全文
  • Karel Nesměrák,
  • Eva Janoušková,
  • Ivan Němec,
  • David Havlíček,
  • Václav Červený,
  • Jakub Hraníček,
  • Renata Píplová,
  • Jana Kunešová

摘要

The study presents a comprehensive multianalytical investigation of thirteen eighteenth-century inorganic pharmaceutical residues originating from the exceptionally preserved Baroque pharmacy of the Capuchin monastery in Prague. Since the historical Latin signatures on the majority of apothecary jars were only partially preserved or completely missing, the true chemical identities of the contents were largely unknown. We employed a combination of non-destructive, sample-conserving structural and phase analyses (Raman spectroscopy, DRIFTS, and PXRD) alongside destructive quantitative methods (ICP-MS, UV/Vis spectrometry, and CZE). This methodology successfully elucidated the true composition of all samples, revealing a diverse array of natural minerals (e.g., tremolite, goethite, hydromagnesite, tschermigite) and synthetically prepared compounds (e.g., potassium sulfate, potassium hydrogen tartrate, potassium sodium tartrate). The analyses highlighted intriguing historical pharmaceutical practices, including the possible substitution of laborious synthetic preparations with visually similar natural minerals, the misidentification of rare minerals (tschermigite for alum), and the rapid adoption of newly discovered medicines (Seignette salt). Furthermore, the study demonstrates that while non-destructive spectroscopic and diffraction techniques are vital for molecular and phase identification, their integration with quantitative elemental and ionic analyses is essential for fully resolving complex pharmaceutical mixtures, identifying trace impurities, and authenticating historical materia medica.

Graphical abstract