ON  SOME  PROPERTIES  OF  BERBERINA. 
11 
the  extract  from  each  pound  of  the  root).  Add  to  the  tincture 
one-fourth  of  its  bulk  of  water,  distill  off  five-sixths  of  the 
alcohol,  and  add  to  the  hot  watery  residue  an  excess  of  diluted 
sulphuric  acid,  and  allow  it  to  cool.  The  sulphate  of  berbe- 
rina  crystallizes  out,  and,  if  necessary,  may  be  drained  from 
the  mother-liquid,  re-dissolved  in  the  smallest  quantity  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  again  crystallized. 
The  salt  is  now  ready  for  decomposition  by  oxide  of  lead. 
The  latter,  as  obtained  by  precipitation  from  the  acetate  or  ni- 
trate of  lead  by  liquor  potassas,  and  well  washed,  and  is  added 
in  excess,  with  agitation,  to  the  sulphate  of  berberina  dissolved 
in  boiling  water,  the  solution  being  kept  hot  during  the  de- 
composition. When  a  drop  of  the  hot  clear  liquid  will  not  be 
precipitated  by  baryta  water  or  acetate  of  lead,  the  digestion  is 
finished.  The  solution  should  then  be  filtered  off  hot,  evapo- 
rated, and  set  aside  for  crystallization. 
Examined  by  a  lens,  berberina  crystallizes  in  stellated  groups 
of  minute  acicular  crystals,  not  so  deep  in  color  as  those  of  the 
muriate  of  commerce,  or  Eclectic  hydrastin.  A  grain  of  ber- 
berina, placed  in  a  test  tube,  was  shaken  with  repeated  additions 
of  water  at  about  60°  F.,  with  intervals  of  rest,  during  twenty- 
four  hours,  until  it  had  nearly  all  dissolved, — which,  required 
75  grains  of  water.  The  residue  completely  dissolved  when 
the  quantity  was  increased  to  100  grains.  The  solution  thus 
obtained  was  a  clear  and  brilliant  yellow  color.  When  a  grain 
is  dissolved  by  heat  in  75  grains  of  water,  the  excess  crystal- 
lizes out  on  standing.  Berberina  is  much  more  soluble  in  boil- 
ing water,  and  in  hot  alcohol,  but  it  is  less  soluble  in  cold '  al- 
cohol than  in  water,  one  grain  requiring  more  than  100  grains 
of  that  liquid  for  solution.  Storer,  in  his  "  Dictionary  of  Solu- 
bilities," page  67,  gives  Liebig's  numbers  for  the  solubility  of 
berberin,  which  apply  to  its  hydrochlorate  according  to  Witt- 
stein.  It  is  soluble  in  acetone  and  methylic  alcohol,  whilst 
chloroform  dissolves  it  but  slightly,  and  ether,  oil  of  turpentine, 
.  and  oil  of  almonds,  not  at  all.  Acetic  acid  is  one  of  its  best 
solvents.  It  is  also  soluble  in  cold  sulphuric  acid,  which,  it 
colors  deep  yellow.  Mtric  acid  instantly  decomposes  berberina, 
with  the  production  of  a  dark  mulberry -purple  color,  which 
