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XII. On the Occurrence of Berberine in the Columba Wood of 

 Ceylon, the Menispermum fenestratum of Botanists. By 

 James D. Perkins, Esq.^ 



n["^HE follo\™g investigation was made in the cliemleal labo- 

 A ratory of St. Bartholomew's Hospital under the immediate 

 supervision of Dr. John Stenhouse. Dr. Stenhouse having had 

 for some time past a quantity of the wood of the Menispermum 

 fenestratum in his possession, suggested to me this investigation. 

 I am anxious therefore to acknowledge my obligation to him, 

 not only for the material, but also for several valuable sugges- 

 tions in the course of the inquiry. 



Hitherto the chief source of the alkaloid berberine has been 

 the root of the barbery, Berberis vulgaris. Bodeker, however, 

 about four years ago, ascertained its existence in the columba 

 root of pharmacy, the Cucculus palmatus, where it occurs in 

 small quantity associated with columbine. The following remark 

 is made in the Chemical Gazette for 1849, vol. vii. p. 150 : — 

 "The occurrence of berberine in Berberis and Cocculus is re- 

 markable in a physiological point of view. Bartling places both 

 these families, the Menispermese and Berberidese, in the class of 

 the Cocculinse, which is in accordance with the fact of both con- 

 taining the same principle." As berberine has now also been 

 found in another of the Menispermse, the accuracy of Bartling's 

 view seems to be greatly confirmed. 



The following was the process adopted for the extraction of 

 berberine from the Menispermum fenestratum. A quantity of the 

 wood, which had a bright yellow colour resembling that of quer- 

 citron, was rasped, and then treated with successive portions of 

 boiling water till it had become nearly tasteless. The aqueous 

 decoction acquired a deep yellow colour and an intensely bitter 

 taste. It was next evaporated carefully to the consistence of an 

 extract, then introduced into a flask and boiled with ten or twelve 

 times its bulk of rectified spirits of wine, filtered while hot, and 

 the residue boiled with a further quantity of spirits, which dis- 

 solved the berberine, and also a quantity of resinous matter by 

 which it was accompanied. The alcoholic solution was then in- 

 troduced into a retort, and the spirit carefully distilled oflf until 

 the residue on agitation appeared to have nearly the consistence 

 of oil of vitriol. It was then set aside in an open vessel, and in 

 the course of twenty-four hours the liquid became filled with a 

 mass of impure crystals. 



After draining off the mother-liquor, these crystals were washed 

 with a small quantity of cold spirit, redissolved in boiling alco- 

 hol, and set aside to crystallize. Their complete purification was 



* Communicated by the Author. 



H2 



