There is provided a process for the recovery of pure hellebrin which comprises extracting a defatted hellebrin extract dissolved in a water-alkanol mixture or water-acetone mixture with a mixture of a lower alkanol or acetone and di-, tri-, or tetrachloromethane (or dichloroethane) evaporating the extraction agent in a vacuum and then heating with ethanol until the deposition of the first hellebrin crystals begins.