BERBERINE, first isolated by Chevalier and Pelletan in 1826, obtained for the most part from either golden-seal (Hydrastis) or barberry (Berberis) roots. In the former it is ac companied by hydrastine and canadine (tetrahydroberberine) and in the latter by oxyacanthine and berbamine. Berberine, is soluble in water, less so in alcohol, and sparingly soluble in ether or chloroform. It crystallizes from water in silky, reddish-yellow needles, or from chloroform in tablets; solvent is retained, so that the melting point varies from 144° C (from ether) to 179° C (from chloroform). A mole cule of water is lost in the formation of salts, which are those of a monoacidic base. The hydrochloride, forms small yellow needles, and on the addition of nitric acid to a solution of a berberine salt, the nitrate is precipitated as needles. On reduction berberine is converted into the colourless canadine (tetrahydroberberine). The papers on the constitution of berberine (W. H. Perkin, 1899 to 1925) afford excellent examples of the application of oxidation and "exhaustive methylation" methods. The supposed synthesis of berberine (Pic tet and Gams, 1911) proved on further examination (Perkin, 1924) to be a synthesis of an isomeride, pseudoberberine and the alkaloid was synthesized for the first time by Perkin, Ray and Robinson in 1925. Berberine is of low toxicity; it formerly had some reputation as a remedy for malaria but it is now little used in medicine.