360 
ON  HYDRASTINE. 
served ;  while  no  alteration  was  observable  on  treating  fresh 
hops  in  a  like  manner — N.  Jahrbf.  Pharm.  xvi.  227-280. 
J.  M.  M. 
ON  HYDRASTINE,  AN  ALKALOID  OCCURRING  IN  HYDRASTIS 
CANADENSIS. 
By  J.  Dyson  Perrins,  f.  c.  s. 
The  substance  hitherto  known  as  Hydrastin  in  the  Eclectic 
school  of  American  pharmacy  proves  to  be  little  more  than  im- 
pure berberine ;  it  therefore  appears  to  me  that  the  term 
hydrastine  may,  with  great  propriety,  be  transferred  to  another 
alkaloid,  which  I  have  recently  observed  in  H.  canadensis.  I 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  occurrence  of  berberine  in  this 
plant  for  some  time  past.  It  was  observed  in  pursuing  an  in- 
quiry which  is  still  incomplete,  and  therefore  has  not  yet  been 
published.  Dr.  Mahla,  of  Chicago,  to  whom  priority  of  publi- 
cation is  due,  has  announced  this  source  for  berberine  in  <  Silli- 
man's  Journal/  for  January,  1862.  I  can  entirely  corroborate  his 
conclusions,  and  add,  that  hydrastis  proves  to  be  an  excellent 
source  for  berberine,  I  have  obtained  from  it  four  per  cent, 
of  the  crude  muriate. 
To  obtain  the  new  alkaloid,  it  is  advantageous  to  bear  in 
mind  that  berberine  is  difficultly  soluble  in  the  dilute  mineral 
acids,  especially  in  dilute  nitric  acid,  and  that  hydrastine, 
readily  soluble  in  acids,  is  insoluble  in  alkaline  solutions  ;  to  pre- 
pare it,  the  mother  liquor,  largely  diluted  after  the  separation 
of  the  berberine,  may  be  used  :  this  should  be  rendered  as  free 
as  possible  from  alcohol,  and  solution  of  ammonia  cautiously 
added  until  a  precipitate  just  begins  to  appear  and  remains  con- 
stant upon  stirring  ;  this  consists  principally  of  dark-colored 
resin,  previously  held  in  solution  by  the  excess  of  acids  ;  then 
filter,  and  to  the  filtrate  add  a  slight  excess  of  ammonia ;  the 
hydrastine  now  falls  as  a  fawn-colored  precipitate,  which  should 
be  collected  and  washed  with  cold  water.  Under  the  microscope 
it  now  presents  the  appearance  of  spherical  granules,  very  like 
wheat-starch.  I  have  observed  that  this  precipitate  when 
pressed  between  porous  tiles,  and  put  aside  for  a  few  hours, 
undergoes  a  remarkable  molecular  change,  becoming  decidedly 
