Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
May,  1884.  J 
Alkaloids  of  Coptis  Trifolia. 
261 
THE  ALKALOIDS  OF  COPTIS  TRIFOLIA.1 
By  John  J.  Schultz. 
A  Thesis  Presented  to  the  Cincinnati  College  of  Pharmacy,  Session  1883-84. 
To  find  the  proportion  of  alkaloids  in  Coptis  trifolia,  five  pounds  of 
carefully  selected  coptis,  in  moderately  coarse  powder,  were  moistened 
with  officinal  alcohol  and  packed  firmly  in  a  properly  prepared  cylin- 
drical percolator.  Officinal  alcohol  was  then  added  in  successive  por- 
tions of  two  gallons  each.  The  last  portion  was  acidulated  with  four 
ounces  of  acetic  acid.  After  each  addition,  maceration  was  conducted 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  percolation  was  continued  until  the  perco- 
late finally  passed  almost  colorless  and  devoid  of  any  bitter  taste. 
Five  gallons  and  five  pints  of  percolate  of  a  yellowish  brown  color 
and  decidedly  bitter  taste  were  obtained.  The  dregs  after  having 
been  removed  from  the  percolator  and  dried  at  a  temperature  of 
110°F.,  weighed  four  pounds  and  eight  ounces,  showing  a  loss  of 
eight  ounces. 
To  four  and  one-half  pints  of  this  percolate,  representing  eight 
ounces  of  drug,  an  excess  of  sulphuric  acid  was  added  and  the  mixture 
set  aside  in  a  cool  place. 
To  one  pint  and  two  ounces  of  percolate,  representing  two  ounces  of 
drug,  an  excess  of  hydrochloric  acid  was  added  and  the  mixture  set 
aside  with  the  foregoing. 
After  standing  forty-eight  hours  a  precipitate  had  formed  in  each, 
that  of  the  sulphuric  acid  being  light  yellow,  while  that  of  the  hydro- 
chloric acid  was  yellowish  brown. 
The  supernatant  liquids  in  each  case  were  bitter  and  retained  a 
decided  yellow  color,  characteristic  of  berberine,  showing  that  the  pre- 
cipitation of  the  berberine  had  been  incomplete. 
Two  pints  and  four  ounces  of  the  original  percolate,  representing 
four  ounces  of  drug,  were  then  subjected  to  distillation,  until  the  resi- 
due was  of  a  syrupy  consistence.  The  retort  was  then  rinsed  with 
eight  ounces  of  water,  the  result  placed  in  an  evaporating  dish,  and 
the  last  traces  of  alcohol  vaporized.    A  dark  greenish  fixed  oil  and  a 
1  These  experiments  were  carried  on  in  the  laboratory  of  Professor  J.  U. 
Lloyd,  upon  authentic  specimens  furnished  by  him.  We  take  this  oppor- 
tunity to  thank  him  for  the  attention  shown  us. 
