Drugs of animal origin
1. CIVET
2. SPERMACETES
Civet musky scent
introduction
The word civet may also refer to the
distinctive musky scent produced by the
African or Indian civet cats (Viverra civetta)
mostly of the family Viverridae.
civet contains Skatol, which has very
unpleasant smell but on dilution and aging,
skatole disappears and a sweet and floral odor
of civetone, a cyclic ketone closely related to
muskon but having a closed chain of 17
carbon atoms, appears.
Distribution /geographical source
A civet /ˈsɪvᵻt/ is
a small, lithe-bodied,
mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and
Africa, especially the tropical forests.
Their habitat is mainly
Ethiopia, Guinea, the Senegal, and other places in
equatorial Africa and rarely found in arid regions.
The term civet applies to over a dozen different mammal
species. Most of the species diversity is found in
southeast Asia. The best-known civet species is
the African civet, Civettictis civetta, which historically
has been the main species from which was obtained
a musky scent used in perfumery.
Physical characteristics
Civets have a broadly cat-like general
appearance, though the muzzle is extended
and often pointed, rather like that of an otter or
a mongoose.
They range in length from about 43 to 71 cm
(17 to 28 in) (excluding their long tails) and in
weight from about 1.4 to 4.5 kg (3 to 10 lb).
has age at sexual maturity of about 1 year and
has average life span of 15-20 years
Collection / uses
The civet produces a musk (also called civet)
highly valued as a fragrance and stabilizing
agent for perfume.
Both male and female civets produce the
strong-smelling secretion, which is produced by
the civet's perineal glands. It is harvested by
either killing the animal and removing the
glands, or by scraping the secretions from the
glands of a live animal. The latter is the
preferred method today
• This liquid is used as medicine. People take civet for pain
relief and as a sedative. In foods and
beverages, civet is used as a flavoring. In cosmetics and
soaps, civet is used as a fixative and fragrance.
• Civet’s oil contains Eicosatetraenoic acid, which is extremely
helpful in supporting nutrition and metabolism of human system.
• Besides these benefits, Civet oil has been used in controlling sweat
and the bad odor associated with it, hearing disabilities, colic in
children and certain skin disorders, Hysteria,
• Civet oil has been used throughout the history in the treatment of
colic, hysteria, hearing difficulties, loss of libido, stress and in
stimulating the power of creative thinking.
Collection / uses
Animal rights groups, such as World Animal Protection,
express concern that harvesting musk is cruel to
animals. Between these ethical concerns and the
availability of synthetic substitutes, the practice of
raising civets for musk is dying out. Chanel, maker of the
popular perfume Chanel No. 5, claims that natural civet
has been replaced with a synthetic substitute since
1998.
It is being displaced by 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one (
ambretone) which is more easily synthesized.
SPERMWHALE SPERMACETES
SPERMACETES introduction
Spermaceti is a waxy substance which is obtained from
the head of the sperm whale. Sperm whale have a huge
head i.e. up to one-third the length of the body, in
which a light oily fat i.e. spermaceti is found.
The zoological name of sperm whale is Physeter
macrocephalus. It belongs to the family of
Physeterideae.
Physeter from Greek word meaning spouting of the
whale (Pushing the water through the hole in head at
certain height)
Macrocephalus from Greek word meaning large head.
Habitat / distribution / Geo. Source
Sperm whales occur in all oceans mainly
Pacific (oqia noos) and Indian Oceans. It
is not found in the Arctic Ocean (arctic
oqia noos).
Characteristics (For general knowledge)
The body of sperm whale is dark gray or black,
but the lips are white and there are whitish spots
on the belly (abdomen). There is a large
difference in size between male and female.
A mature female may be about 12m (about 39 ft)
and a mature male may be about 18m (about 59ft)
in length.
It has a large head up to one-third the body length.
The whales routinely dive deeper than 1 km and
normally they remain inside the water for 45-60
minutes at a time
Characteristics
After long dive they stay at the surface of water for
about 12 to 15 minutes. During this time they respiring
(blowing i.e., eject water to certain height through
blowhole near the snout), constantly to store oxygen.
An individual sperm whale might swim around the
world during its life time. Its estimated life span is from
60-70 years. Sperm whales were hunted intensively by
Americans whalers (killer of whales) during 1800s for
sperm oil, and by factory ships in 1900s for their meat.
Due to which their population reduced. Therefore the
hunting of sperm whales has been banned since 1981.
Sperm Whale
Collection
There is a cavity in the head of the sperm
whale which contains the oily liquid
known as sperm oil. The sperm whale is
killed with torpedo (cegar like) harpoons
(a stick having sharp head carrying
weapons). The cavity is opened and the
oil is collected by pumping into barrels. A
single whale can yield from 10-12 barrels
of oil.
Collection
Preparation
This oil is mixed oil i.e. in crude form. It is
crystallized or solidified into 10-12% soft wax,
when exposed to air. This wax is separated by
straining i.e. separated by passing through a piece
of cloth or wire net. It is now in crude form. In
order to purify the wax, it is pressed and washed
with weak boiling alkali i.e. caustic soda
(NaOH). The remaining oil reacts with NaOH to
form soap, while the purified wax is cooled and
converted into solid form known as spermaceti.
Finally cakes are made from this solid form.
Description
Spermaceti is a translucent substance
having pearly luster (silver-white color).
Its touch is soft having soothing effects. It
has faint odor (which may cause
unconsciousness). It is free from rancidity.
It has specific gravity about 0.94, and its
melting point is between 44C ◦and 52C◦.
Solubility
It is insoluble in water, cold alcohol, while
soluble in boiling alcohol, ether, chloroform,
fixed and volatile oils.
Constituents
Spermaceti consists of a mixture of several
constituents such as; Cetin or cetyl palmitate
(C15H31COOC16H33), cetylmristate, cetyl
laurate and cetyl stearate. All these are alkyl
esters of fatty acids and are found about 85%.
Spermaceti Uses In Cosmetics
Spermaceti Uses In dental
Domestic uses
Uses
Spermaceti is used to increase the viscosity of cerates and
ointments as in Cold cream and Rose water ointment.
As it burns with clear and smokeless flame, therefore it used to
make high quality candles.
Ambergris is a perfume which is a secretion of the spermaceti
whale. It is found floating on the sea.
It is used as an emollient (which softens and soothes the skin and
mucous membrane).
As spermaceti has waxy nature, therefore it is used for hardening
purposes. Nowadays spermaceti has been replaced by cetyl esters
wax also known as synthetic spermaceti. It is a mixture of esters of
saturated fatty alcohols and saturated fatty acids.
It is also used in cosmetics.
Demulcent and protective, combined with equal parts of loaf-
sugar, once used among children in domestic practice in coughs,
colds, and catarrhal affections, and in irritation of the intestinal
mucous membranes. If to spermaceti be added half its weight of
olive oil, and after mixing this, powdered gum Arabic be added,
and, finally, some water be added by degrees, an emulsion may
be formed, useful for children and infants.
