Witch Hazel

This article is compiled based on the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) – 2025 Edition

Issued and maintained by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)

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1 DEFINITION

Witch Hazel is a clear, colorless distillate prepared from recently cut and partially dried dormant twigs of Hamamelis virginiana L.

Prepare Witch Hazel as follows. Macerate a weighed amount of the twigs for about 24 h in about twice their weight of water, and then distill until NLT 800 mL and NMT 850 mL of clear, colorless distillate is obtained from each 1000 g of the twigs taken. Add 150 mL of alcohol to each 850 mL of distillate, and mix thoroughly.

2 OTHER COMPONENTS

ALCOHOL DETERMINATION (611), Procedures, Method I-Distillation Method: 14.0%-15.0% of ethanol

CONTAMINANTS

NONVOLATILE RESIDUE: Evaporate 100 mL to dryness in a tared dish on a hot plate at 60°. The weight of the residue does not exceed 25 mg

(0.025%).

LIMIT OF TANNINS

Solution A: 1000 mL of water adjusted with phosphoric acid to a pH of 2.5 ± 0.1

Solution B: Acetonitrile

Mobile phase: See Table 1.

Table 1
 

Standard solution: 0.03 mg/mL of tannic acid

Sample solution: Witch Hazel

Chromatographic system

(See Chromatography 〈621〉, System Suitability.)

Mode: LC

Detector: UV 280 nm

Column: 4.6-mm × 15-cm; packing L1

Flow rate: 1 mL/min

Injection volume: 25 µL

Analysis

Samples: Standard solution and Sample solution

Acceptance criteria: If any peak corresponding to the retention time of tannic acid in the Standard solution is present for the Sample solution, its peak area is NMT that of the tannic acid in the Standard solution.

Delete the following:

Articles of Botanical Origin 〈561〉, Pesticide Residue Analysis: Meets the requirements _{(USP 1-May-2019)}

3 SPECIFIC TESTS

Specific Gravity 〈841〉: 0.979–0.983

pH 〈791〉: 3.0–5.0

4 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Packaging and Storage: Preserve in tight containers, and avoid exposure to excessive heat.