i 4  Salts  of  Berberina. 
Hypophosphite  of  berberina  is  soluble  to  the  extent  of  from  five  to  ten 
grains  in  the  ounce  of  water. 
Muriate  of  Berberina. — Dissolve  berberina  in  sixteen  times  its 
weight  of  distilled  water,  and  cautiously  stir  in  hydrochloric  acid  until 
m  slight  excess  ;  drain  the  precipitate,  and  dry  by  exposure  to  the 
atmosphere. 
Muriate  of  berberina  was  the  first  preparation  of  this  alkaloid  intro- 
duced to  the  medical  profession  from  hydrastis.  It  was  discovered 
accidentally.  It  is  soluble  in  about  five  hundred  parts  of  water,  6o°  to 
8o°F.,  scarcely  soluble  at  all  in  cold  alcohol,  ether  and  chloroform.  It 
is  the  most  difficult  of  the  berberina  salts  to  decompose,  holding  its 
acid  in  presence  of  alkalies,  and  even  long  digestion  with  litharge  fails 
to  thoroughly  remove  it.  Oxide  of  silver  at  once  frees  the  berberina 
from  a  heated  solution.  When  dry  it  is  changed  from  the  natural 
light  lemon  color  to  orange  by  a  heat  from  1300  to  I50°F.  Upon 
cooling,  the  lemon  color  is  resumed.  It  is  rapidly  falling  into  disuse, 
giving  place  to  the  more  soluble  salts. 
Nitrate  of  Berberina. — This  salt  can  be  obtained  by  substituting 
nitric  acid  for  the  muriatic  acid  of  the  preceding  formula.  It  is  of  a 
greenish-yellow  color,  soluble  in  about  five  hundred  parts  of  water, 
temperature  6o°  to  8o°F.;  more  soluble  in  hot  water,  scarcely  soluble 
in  alcohol,  ether  or  chloroform.    Its  use  is  limited. 
Remarks. — Alcohol  extracts  from  hydrastis  canadensis,  in  addition  to 
berberina,  a  greenish  fixed  oil,  an  acrid  resin,  a  white  alkaloid,  a  vege- 
table acid,  yellow  coloring  matter,  and  small  amounts  of  other  sub- 
stances of  little  interest  here.  The  materials  named  are  intimately 
associated  or  combined  while  in  the  root  ;  such  combinations  being 
broken  up  by  the  addition  of  the  acid,  resulting,  simply  perhaps,  in  the 
formation  of  sulphate  of  the  white  alkaloid  hydrastia,  sulphate  of  the  yel- 
low alkaloid  berberina,  and  the  liberation  of  the  resinous  substances,  color- 
ing matter  and  acid. 
The  yellow  sulphate  of  berberina  quickly  crystallizes,  carrying  down 
some  of  the  other  materials  ;  the  larger  amount  of  the  latter,  however, 
remain  in  solution.  This  impure  sulphate  of  berberina  is  difficult 
to  dry,  even  if  well  washed  ;  the  reason  being  the  mechanical  admix- 
ture of  the  oil  alluded  to  ;  consequently  at  this  stage  it  has  a  greenish 
cast  and  imparts  an  unctuous  feeling  when  rubbed  between  the  fingers. 
Sulphate  of  berberina  is  decomposed  by  alkalies,  with  the  liberation 
f  Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       Jan.,  1879 
