ON LILACINE. 
139 
ART. XXIV — EXTRACTION OF LILACINE, A CRYSTALLIZA- 
BLE BITTER PRINCIPLE, FROM THE SYRINGA VULGA- 
RIS. By Alphonse Meillet. 
Several practitioners have turned their attention to the 
lilac, and proved its febrifuge virtues. Mr. Cruvelhier, now- 
deceased, made numerous experiments, which put all doubts 
to rest concerning the important properties of the capsules 
and leaves of this indigenous shrub. 
In a number of our provinces, and especially in that part of 
Berry called Brenne, a marshy country notable for its insalu- 
brity, the country people have no other remedy for inter- 
mittent fevers. It then became of interest to extract its ac- 
tive principle. Messrs. Petroz and Robinet, have analyzed 
the fruit of the lilac, and have made known a saccharine and 
a bitter principle, but did not obtain it in a sufficient state of 
purity to decide upon its nature and properties. 
The process I have followed for its extraction is very sim- 
ple, and with some slight modification is essentially the same 
as that pursued for other proximate principles. Take lilac 
leaves, or rather the green capsules, which yield the most, 
bruise them and make two strong decoctions; evaporate to 
one-half — then add subacetate of lead to the liquid, — concen- 
trate to the consistence of a clear syrup — and add an excess 
of calcined magnesia ; reduce the whole to dryness in a wa- 
ter bath, and powder the extract, adding a little more mag- 
nesia to facilitate trituration. When in powder, digest it in 
water, heated to 30 or 40° C, by separate portions successive- 
ly. Then treat it with boiling alcohol of 40°; add prepared 
animal charcoal, to discolor; then filter and evaporate to one- 
half — the lilacine crystallizes. The subacetate of lead precipi- 
tates a resinous matter, which, unless separated from the lilac- 
ine, prevents it from crystallizing. The washing of the ex- 
tract with warm water, serves to remove the acetate of mag- 
VOL. VIII. — NO. II. 18 
