2 
Sambucns  Canadensis. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
Jan.,  1892. 
A  portion  weighed  and  dried  at  100°  was  found  to  contain  13-13 
per  cent,  of  moisture.  A  second  portion  on  ignition  yielded  6  67 
per  cent,  of  ash.  Of  this  12  95  per  cent,  was  soluble  in  water,  and 
80-64  Per  cent,  soluble  in  diluted  hydrochloric  acid.  Fifty  grams  were 
then  subjected  successively  to  the  following  plant  solvents  :  Petro- 
leum ether  extracted  3-32  percent,  by  maceration.  When  heated  at 
iio°  to  constant  weight  it  was  found  to  have  lost  a  quantity  of 
volatile  oil,  amounting  to  0-5  per  cent,  of  the  drug.  This  oil  may 
be  obtained  from  the  flowers  by  distillation  with  water,  and  at  ordi- 
nary temperatures  is  a  yellowish  solid  of  about  the  consistence  of 
butter,  and  having  an  aromatic  odor  and  a  slightly  bitter  taste.  It 
is  lighter  than  water,  and  somewhat  soluble  in  it. 
The  remainder  of  the  petroleum  ether  extract  consisted  of  some 
fat  soluble  in  95  per  cent,  alcohol  and  of  a  crystalline  greenish- 
yellow  wax,  melting  at  400,  soluble  in  and  deposited  from  hot  abso- 
lute alcohol.  Maceration  with  stronger  ether  gave  a  deep  yellow 
liquid,  which,  upon  evaporation,  yielded  3-13  per  cent,  of  extractive. 
This  was  digested  with  acidulated  water,  and  the  resulting  aqueous 
liquid  shaken  successively  with  petroleum  ether,  ether  and  chloro- 
form. The  last  solvent  extracted  an  amorphous  yellow  compound, 
having  the  peculiar  odor  of  the  flowers  and  a  very  bitter  taste. 
This  chloroform  extract,  when  dissolved  in  water,  produced  no 
change  with  iron  salts,  but  did  reduce  Fehling's  solution.  The 
yellow  color  of  this  extract  was  almost  destroyed  by  acids,  but 
restored  to  the  deep  yellow  color  of  the  ethereal  extract  by  alkalis. 
The  remainder  of  the  ethereal  extract  was  found  to  consist  of  a 
tasteless,  inodorous  resin,  and  to  amount  to  2-92  per  cent. 
Maceration  with  absolute  alcohol  gave  a  deep  yellow  liquid,  which 
upon  evaporation  yielded  3-16  per  cent,  of  extractive.  One-half  of 
this  residue  was  found  to  be  soluble  in  water  to  which  it  imparted 
an  acid  reaction.  Ferric  chloride  was  colored  dark  by  this  solution, 
but  no  evidence  of  tannin  was  obtained  in  it  by  gelatin  and  alum. 
The  portion  of  the  aqueous  solution  remaining  after  the  above  tests 
was  agitated  successively  with  petroleum  ether,  ether  and  chloro- 
form. From  the  last  solvent  an  amorphous  yellow  compound  was 
obtained  which,  though  odorless,  had  the  peculiar  bitter  taste  of  the 
flowers.  After  heating  with  hydrochloric  acid  this  substance  readily 
reduced  Fehling's  solution. 
Water  extracted  from  the  residual  drug  21-48  per  cent.,  consist- 
