BER′BERINE

(-een). [164] C 20 H 17 NO 4 . [Eng., Fr.] Syn. Bar′berĭne *, Ber′berite * (of Thomson); Berberi′na , L. A substance discovered by Buchner and Herberger in the root of the common barberry shrub ( ber′beris vulga′ris , Linn.); and subsequently, by Bödecker, in calumba-root; and more recently by Mr Perrins, in the calumba-wood ( menispermum fenestra tum ) of Ceylon, which contains a considerable quantity of it. [164] This substance must not be confounded with BEEBERINE or BIBERINE (which see ). Prep. 1. A soft watery extract of the root, or of the wood, is digested in rectified spirit, with trituration, as long as anything is taken up; the resulting tincture, after repose, is filtered, and the alcohol gradually distilled off until the residuum has the consistence of a thin syrup. The crystals which form as the liquid cools are drained in a funnel, washed with a few drops of ice-cold water, pre ed dry in bibulous paper, and then purified by solution and crystallisation, first in rectified spirit, and next in distilled water. 2. By digesting the root, or the wood (coarsely powdered) in rectified spirit, and then proceeding as before. Prop. Berberine may be cla ed with the azotised colouring substances; or, from its composition and its po e ing feeble basic properties, with the alkaloids. It crystallises in fine needles, or in stellated prisms, which are yellow, odourle , very bitter-tasted, neutral to test-paper, and contain 12 equiv. of water. At 212° Fahr. it acquires a red colour; but recovers its normal yellow on cooling. A much higher temperature decomposes it, yellow vapours being evolved. It is freely soluble in boiling water and in alcohol, from either of which solutions it may be readily obtained in crystals. It requires 500 parts of water at 60° to di olve it, and very much more at lower temperatures. Its solutions are yellow; that in alcohol appears green by reflected light. The concentrated mineral acids destroy it. Its salts are more or le soluble. Uses, . Chiefly in medicine, in similar cases to those in which the use of calumba-root is indicated. It has been highly recommended in dyspepsia and heartburn, in disturbed action of the liver, and, combined with iron (lactate, phosphate, or hyposulphite), in chlorosis, anæmia, . According to M. Altin, it is an effectual remedy for the mucal, colourle diarrhœa, and the derangement of the urinary secretions which commonly follow cholera.— Dose , 3 to 10 gr.; in larger doses it proves laxative. See Calumba , .