Guarana.

Guarana, a dried paste from the crushed seeds of Paullinia cupana, was introduced into France from South America by a French officer in 1817, as a product of an unknown plant, this paste being made and used by the tribe of Indians (Guaranis) from whom it took its name. In 1826 Martius (409) identified the plant, which is called Paullinia sorbilis in deference to Simon Paulli (493). In 1840, (Am. Journ. Pharm., pp. 206-208), Dr. Gavrelle presented a specimen of guarana to the Paris Society of Medicine, the same being analyzed by M. de Chastetus, who discovered "a crystallizable matter, which possessed the chemical properties of caffeine." In 1888 Professor H. H. Rusby (564) (Amer. Jour. of Pharm., p. 267) authoritatively described the manner in which the natives prepared Guarana from the seed, and in their crude way produced the smoked sausage-like rolls familiar in commerce. The date of its discovery by the Indian tribes whose preparation and use of the substance as "a stimulating substance" led to its European notice, is lost to record.

The History of the Vegetable Drugs of the U.S.P., 1911, was written by John Uri Lloyd.