830 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
been found to be widely distributed in nature. In addition to 
several species of barberry it is known to exist in Hydrastis 
canadensis, 3 Coptis trifola , 4 Zanthorrhiza apiifolia, 5 Delphinium 
saniculaef olium, 3 Thalictrum flavum, 7 Adonis vernalis 7 Mahonia 
aequifolium, 8 Jatrohiza palmata , 9 Tintospora rumphii, 10 Zylopia 
polycairpa, * 11 Chelidonium majus, 12 Argemone mexicana, 13 Cory- 
dalis tuberosa, 14: Corydalis vernyi, 15 Andria inermis, 16 Xanthoxy- 
lum caribaeum, 17 Xanthoxylum perrottetii , 18 Xanthoxylum pi- 
peritum, 19 Evodia meliifolia 20 Orixa japonica 21 Yellow pig¬ 
ments resembling berberin and'believed to be identical with it 
have also been isolated from several other plants. 
Berberin crystallizes from water in yellow crystals with six 
molecules of water of crystallization, from chloroform with one 
molecule of chloroform of crystallization. It is easily soluble 
in hot water, difficultly soluble in cold water or chloroform, and 
almost insoluble in ether, benzene, ligroin, and acetic acid. 
A large number of derivatives of berberin have been prepared. 
It forms salts with acids similar to ammonium salts, also gold 
and platinum double salts. 
Berberin is used for dyeing leather, especially for gloves, also 
silk and wool. 
The following list includes the more important of the many 
chemical investigations of berberin: 
Ahrens,—B., 29, p. 2996. 
Bernheimer,—Gazz. Chim. Ital., 13, p. 345. 
Buchner and Herbeiger,—Ann., 24, p. 288. 
Chevalier and Pelletan,—Jr. Chem. Med., 2, p. 314. 
3 Pharm. Z. F. Hussl., 33, p. 770; Pharm. Jr. Trans., 3, p. 546. 
4 Arch. Pharm., 222, p. 747. 
5 Pharm. Jr. Trans., 3, p. 546 and 567. 
6 New Commerc. Drug. 1887; Draendorff, Heilpflanzen, p. 227. 
7 Monat. Scient., 5, p. 483. 
8 Pharm. Centralh., 1882, nr. 28. 
9 Arch. Pharm., 240, p. 146, 450. 
10 Bull. Inst. Botan. Buitenzorg., 1902, 14, p. 11. 
11 Ann., 105, p. 360. 
12 Am. Jr. Ph., 1902; Botan. Centralbl., 45, p. 187. 
13 Jr. Am. Chem. Soc., 24, p. 238. 
14 Beitr. z. Kennt. d. Corydalis cava., Disser. Dorpat., 1890. 
15 Arch. Pharm., 246, p. 461. 
16 B. Neues. Repert. Pharm., 14, p. 211. 
17 Jr. Chem. Soc., 15, p. 339. 
18 C. r., 98, p. 999. 
19 Dragendorff, Heilpflanzen, p. 350. 
20 Chem. News., 71, p. 207; Arch. Pharm., 213, p. 337. 
21 Nederl. Tijdschr. Pharm., 1884, p. 228. 
