Bo as BERBERIDEZ. 
Berberidee, Ranunculacess, Menispermaces, &c. .Its com- a 
position is C7° H'? NO*. (Perrins.) Berberine dissolves in — 
strong sulphuric acid with a dingy olive-green, and _in nitric 4 
acid with a dark brown-red colour. Solutions of its salts are a 
precipitated greenish-brown-by potassium ferrocyanide, and — 
yellow by picric acid, phosphomolybdie acid, or chloride of — 2 
gold, platinum or mercury ; the precipitates are mostly erystal- a 
line or crystallize readily ; the phosphomolybdate dissolves in — 
ammonia with a blue colour. Dissolved in het alcohol, the — 
salts of berberine yield, with solution of iodine in potassium — 
iodide, dark-green scales of metallic lustre and appearing 
reddish-brown in transmitted light; if an excess of iodine be — 
employed : the crystals are of a red-brown colour in reflected 
light. Hydrochlorate of berberine assumes with chlorine a 
blood-red colour. (Buchner.)’ This behaviour furnishes a deli- 
cate test, by means of which, according to Klunge, berberine 
may be detected in over 200,000 parts of solution; brucine, 
which gives a similar colour with chlorine, yields with acids 
colourless solutions. Fused with potassium hydrate, berberir 
_ is decomposed, yielding two acids, one of which is sublimable, 
the vapours having the odour of chinolin. ( Hla: p 
and Gilm.) Oxyacanthine, C32 H*® N*% Q1!, remains in 
mother liquor from which the berberine salt has been preci- 
pitated by an acid. It is a white alkaloid, turning yellow in 
sun-light, nearly insoluble in water, and has a bitter taste and 
alkaline reaction ; it is soluble in alcohol, less so in ether, but 
freely im chloroform, benzol, fats and volatile oils. Sulphurie 
acid colours it brown-red. Nitric acid impartsa yellow and, 
when heated, a purple colour. Berbamine C'* N'9 O03 N and 
at least another alkaloid are also contained in the root. (Qf. 
Stillé and Maisch. Nat. Disp., 3rd Ed., p. 315, On Berberine, 
by W. H. Perkin, jun., Journ, Chem. Soc., ‘Feb. 1889, ) 
Commerce.—Dirhalad comes to the plains from Northern 
India and from the Madras Presidency. Rusot and Zirishk 
from Northern India. Value, Déarhalad, Rs. 34; Ruso 
Rs, 8-9 per maund, of 37} Ibs.; Zirishk, Re. 2 + per ihe 
