[Ergocalciferol Reference Standard (Control 031) of National Institute of Health Sciences]

The raw material of ergocalciferol was examined for the preparation of the "Ergocalsiferol Reference Standard (Control 031)", The analytical data obtained were: melting point, 114.5 degrees C; UV spectrum, lambda max of 264.8 nm and specific absorbance in ethanol at 265 nm = 474.7; IR spectrum, same as that of the Ergocalciferol Reference Standard (Control 003); optical rotation, [alpha]20(D) = +104.6 degrees ; thin-layer chromatography, two impurities were detected at 50 micrograms; high-performance liquid chromatography, total amount of impurities estimated to be less than 0.04%. Based on the above results, the raw material was authorized as the Japanese Pharmacopoeia Ergocalciferol Reference Standard (Control 031) of the National Institute of Health Sciences.