580  Glucoside  from  Boldoa  Fragrans.  {km'xov*\£zl&Tm' 
A  GLUCOSIDE  FROM  BOLDOA  FRAGRANS. 
By  P.  Chapoteaut. 
The  leaves  of  Boldoa  fragrans  are  treated  with  boiling  alcohol,  the 
solution  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residue  extracted  with  very 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid  in  order  to  remove  the  alkaloid  described  by 
Bourgoin  and  Verne.  The  liquid,  freed  from  the  greater  part  of  the 
mucilaginous  matter,  is  then  treated  with  ether  or  chloroform,  and 
this  ethereal  or  chloroform  solution,  on  evaporation,  leaves  a  trans- 
parent amber-colored  syrup  with  an  aromatic  taste  and  smell.  This 
substance,  which  exists  in  the  leaves  to  the  extent  of  03  per  cent.,  has 
the  composition  C30H52O8,  and  can  be  distilled  in  a  current  of  steam, 
but  cannot  be  distilled  without  decomposition  in  a  vacuum  or  in  a 
current  of  hydrogen.  When  heated  with  very  dilute  hydrochloric 
acid,  it  yields  glucose,  methyl  chloride,  and  a  syrupy  substance  of  the 
composition  C19H2803,  which  dissolve 5  in  alcohol  and  benzene,  but  is 
insoluble  in  water.  If  the  benzene  solution  is  treated  with  sodium, 
hydrogen  is  evolved;  and  if  the  sodium-derivative  thus  formed  is 
treated  with  alcoholic  iodides,  methyl  or  ethyl-derivatives  can  be  ob- 
tained. The  substance,  C30H52O8,  is  therefore  a  glucoside  or,  rather, 
an  ether  in  which  glucose  plays  the  part  of  an  acid.  The  constitution 
of  the  alcoholic  constituent  has  not  yet  been  ascertained. 
When  the  glucoside  is  injected  under  the  skin  of  a  guinea-pig,  or 
taken  into  the  stomach  of  a  dog,  it  produces  a  quiet  sleep  of  longer  or 
shorter  duration.  If  injected  into  the  blood  of  the  dog,  it  excites  and 
increases  the  secretory  functions,  especially  the  secretion  and  excretion 
of  bile,  saliva,  and  urine. — Compt.  rend.,  vol.  98,  p.  1052-1053  ;  Jour. 
Chem.  Soc,  August,  1884,  p.  845. 
Tin  in  Preserved  Food— E.  Unger  (Dingl.  polyt.  J.,  251,  p 
192)  found  that  asparagus  preserved  in  tinned  boxes  contained  0*019  to 
0*033  per  cent,  tin  near  the  sides,  and  from  0*021  to  0*033  per  cent, 
in  the  centre  of  the  boxes.  The  tin  was  present  in  the  form  of  a  proto- 
salt.  The  acid  juice  of  pressed  apricots  and  strawberries  was  found  to 
be  free  from  tin,  whilst  the  fruit  contained  this  metal •  apricots  gave 
0*0185  per  cent,  tin,  and  strawberries  0*0175  per  cent. — Jour.  Chem. 
Soc. 
