A method is described whereby relatively small samples of leaves or berries may be screened for their alkaloid content. The glycoside is extracted by the usual methods and the partially pure product hydrolyzed to the aglycone. The aglycone is complexed with methyl orange and the colored complex extracted into chloroform and determined colorimetrically using solasodine as a standard. The colored complex obeys Beer's law in concentration from 10–120 mcg. in 5 ml. chloroform and has its maximum absorption at 420 mμ. The identity of the individual bases present may be determined by other methods such as chromatography. Copyright © 1969 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company