Eiipatorin.  5 1 1 
The  alcoholic  extract  was  soluble  in  acidulated  water  to  the 
extent  of  one-third  of  its  weight.  The  solution  was  bitter,  and 
gave  evidence  of  the  presence  of  a  glucoside. 
Ferric  chloride  gave  faint  indications  of  tannin.  A  portion  of  the 
aqueous  solution  of  the  alcoholic  extract  was  agitated  successively 
with  petroleum  ether,  stronger  ether  and  chloroform.  No  residue 
was  left  on  the  spontaneous  evaporation  of  the  petroleum  ether  and 
stronger  ether,  but  chloroform  left  a  minute  quantity  of  colorless 
crystals. 
In  order  to  more  fully  investigate  the  constituents,  about  one 
kilogram  of  the  powdered  drug  was  exhausted  with  95  per  cent, 
alcohol,  and  the  solvent  recovered.  The  residue  was  poured  into 
two  volumes  of  water  and  the  resin,  which  precipitated,  was  filtered 
out.  The  solution  was  then  agitated  successively  with  petroleum 
ether,  ether  and  chloroform.  The  results  were  similar  to  those 
obtained  with  the  alcoholic  extract.  The  aqueous  solution  was 
then  made  alkaline  with  sodium  hydrate,  and  submitted  to  the  same 
solvents  in  the  order  above  given.  Petroleum  ether  and  ether 
removed  nothing  of  importance,  but  chloroform  extracted  a  bitter, 
brown,  resinous  substance.  This  was  redissolved  in  water  and 
again  extracted  by  agitation  with  chloroform.  On  the  spontaneous 
evaporation  of  the  latter  solvent,  a  light  pink,  amorphous,  and 
intensely  bitter  substance  remained.  Several  attempts  were  made 
to  obtain  this  residue  in  a  crystalline  form,  but  without  success.  It 
gave  no  reactions  with  either  alkaloidal  or  glucosidal  reagents.  Any 
medicinal  virtue  that  this  drug  may  possess  is  no  doubt  due  to  this 
amorphous  bitter  principle. 
The  crystalline  principle  removed  from  the  acidulated  solution 
by  chloroform  possessed  all  the  characters  of  a  resin. 
EUPATORIN:  THE  ACTIVE  PRINCIPLE  OF  EUPAIO- 
RIUM  PERFOLIATUM} 
By  C.  H.  Shamel. 
The  dried  eupatorium  perfoliatam,  gathered  at  blooming-time, 
was  extracted  by  hot  alcohol  in  a  continuous  extraction  apparatus 
» 
1  Amer.  Chemical  Journal,  1892,  xiv,  p.  224.  A  crystalline  glucoside  was 
isolated  by  G.  Latin  and  F.  W.  Franz,  see  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy, 
1880,  p.  392,  and  1888,  p.  77.    See  also  paper  by  H.  F.  Kaercher,  above. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1892. 
