BERBERINE CHLORIDE DIHYDRATE

Berberine chloride crystallises from water to give the dihydrate. The anhydrous salt may be obtained by recrystallisation from EtOH/Et2O, wash the crystals with Et2O and dry them in a vacuum. The iodide has m 250o(dec) (from EtOH). [Perkin J Chem Soc 113 503 1918, Kametani et al. J Chem Soc(C) 2036 1969, Beilstein 27 I 515, 27 II 567.]