^"""rebl^iS?^'^  }    Leaves  of  Eupatorium  Perfoliatum. 
77 
ANALYSIS  OF  THE  LEAVES  OF  EUPATORIUM  PERFO- 
LIATUM. 
'  Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy. 
ByF.W.  Franz. 
Read  at  the  Phai-maceutical  Meeting,  January  17. 
The  leaves  of  this  plant,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  find  out,  have 
never  been  analyzed  before,  although  the  herb  has  frequently  been. 
A  bitter  principle  was  first  isolated,  by  G.  Latin,  in  1880,  from  the 
ethereal  extract  of  the  herb  by  means  of  chloroform,  and  was  named 
eupatorin.  This  principle  was  found,  during  my  own  investigation, 
in  the  petroleum  spirit  extract  and  was  separated  by  repeatedly  digest- 
ing in  water.  The  coloring  matter  was  removed  by  digesting  the 
solution  in  absolute  alcohol  with  animal  charcoal  and  when  evaporated 
over  sulphuric  acid  needles  were  obtained,  very  bitter  and  nauseous. 
An  aqueous  solution  of  the  principle  gave  the  following  reactions  : 
Fehling's  solution  was  reduced  when  boiled  for  some  time,  due 
probably  to  impurities. 
When  heated  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  a  distinct  raspberry-like 
odor  was  produced,  and  the  liquid  soon  became  cloudy ;  this  was  filtered, 
made  slightly  alkaline  and  Fehling^s  solution  added  which  was  soon 
reduced,  thus  showing  it  to  be  a  glucoside  soluble  in  water,  alcohol, 
chloroform  and  ether. 
