550  Root  of  Hydrangea  Paniculate  {^ffie^SK' 
ANALYSIS  OF  THE  ROOT  OF  HYDRANGEA  PANICULATA, 
VARIETY  GRANDIFLORA. 
By  August  G.  Luebert,  P.D. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.    No.  180. 
Hydrangea  paniculata,  variety  grandiflora,  is  a  cultivated  hybrid 
of  Hydrangea  paniculata.  It  is  a  showy  annual  shrub,  having  very 
large  panicles  of  sterile  flowers,  which  open  late  in  August,  or  early 
in  September.  It  is  one  of  the  most  commonly  cultivated  shrubs 
in  the  Northern  and  Middle  States. 
As  far  as  I  am  able  to  learn,  there  is  no  record  concerning  the 
chemistry  of  this  plant.  The  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  for 
1887  contains  on  page  122,  however,  an  essay  on  the  chemistry  of 
Hydrangea  arborescens,  a  closely  allied  species.  Mr.  C.  S.  Bondu- 
rant,  the  author  of  the  essay  just  referred  to,  obtained,  from  both 
the  alcoholic  and  ethereal  extracts  of  the  plant,  a  distinctly  crystal- 
line body;  this,  he  proved  to  be  a  glucoside,  and  named  it  hydran- 
gin.  It  crystallized  in  stellate  clusters.  On  addition  of  an  alkali  to 
the  aqueous  solution,  a  very  distinct  and  strong  opal-blue  fluores- 
cence was  observed ;  this  was  destroyed  by  acidifying.  It  melted 
at  235 0  C,  and  on  increasing  the  temperature  slightly,  it  sublimed 
without  decomposition.  A  characteristic  reaction  was  obtained  on 
dissolving  it  in  sulphuric  acid,  and  adding  a  small  crystal  of  potas- 
sium bichromate,  a  dark  purple  color  being  produced.  This  color, 
after  some  minutes,  faded  to  violet,  and,  on  addition  of  a  few  drops 
of  water,  changed  to  an  olive  green  color,  which  gradually  faded. 
The  work  of  the  present  writer  consisted  in  making  a  proximate 
analysis  of  the  root  of  the  variety  grandiflora.  Dragendorff's 
method  of  analysis  was  followed.  The  root  was  reduced  to  No.  40 
powder  for  this  purpose. 
Petroleum  ether  having  a  boiling  point  of  500  C.  removed  1-20 
per  cent,  of  soluble  matter.  This  consisted  of  wax,  saponifiable 
fat,  and  caoutchouc. 
Official  ether  extracted  2-39  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of  the  root. 
The  extract  was  granular  in  appearance  and  waxy  in  consistence. 
It  had  a  characteristic,  sweetish  odor,  which  somewhat  resembled 
that  of  the  root.  The  extract  was  digested  with  water,  and  the 
mixture  filtered.  The  filtrate  was  agitated  with  several  successive 
portions  of  ether,  the  ether  separated  and  allowed  to  evaporate.  A 
