Barberry - Some Benefits on Usage of Barberry

Taxonomic Class

Berberidaceae

Common Trade Names

Oregon Grape Root

Common Forms

Available as an extract, liquid, tablets (400 mg), and tea.

Source

Barberry comes from the roots, wood, and bark of Mahonia vulgaris and M. aquifolium (also known as Berberis aquifolium and B. vulgaris), plants that have edible, red-orange fruitlike berries. Mahonia species are native to Europe and some parts of North America and have long been used as landscape shrubs.

Chemical Components

Barberry species contain tannins and many isoquinoline alkaloids, including berbamine, berberine, bervulcine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, and oxycanthine.

Actions

Berberine, the most extensively studied component of barberry, may possess anthelmintic, anticonvulsant, and sedative properties and exerts local anesthetic effects when injected subcutaneously. It has also demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against several species that exceeds that of chloramphenicol.

An ethanolic extract of B. vulgaris has shown anti-inflammatory activity in in vitro and animal studies. Other alkaloid isolates of the plant are less potent in their anti-inflammatory effects than the total ethanol extract.

A few of the isoquinoline alkaloids exert uterine-stimulating effects in animals . Other studies have shown antiarrhythmic and hypotensive effects with berbamine and antiarrhythmic activity with berberine.

Reported Uses

Barberry is claimed to be of therapeutic usefulness as an antidiarrheal, an antipyretic, and a cough suppressant as well as in ameliorating jaundice.

In the past, berberine was used as an astringent in various ophthalmic preparations but is seldom used in these forms today. It has been shown to be more effective than a placebo in resolving Vibrio cholerae-induced diarrhea but had no benefit over placebo in patients with diarrhea due to other causes.

Dosage

In one study, a dosage of 400 mg P.O. daily was used to ameliorate acute diarrhea.

Adverse Reactions

• CNS: confusion, stupor.

• GI: diarrhea.

• GU: nephritis.

• Other: spontaneous abortion.

Interactions

Antiarrhythmics: May increase antiarrhythmic effects. Monitor closely.

Antihypertensives: May increase hypotensive effects. Discourage use.

Contraindications And Precautions

• Barberry is contraindicated in pregnant patients because of the risk of spontaneous abortion. Use cautiously in women of childbearing age.

• Special considerations

• Alert Some references suggest that symptoms of poisoning from this plant may appear as confusion, diarrhea, nephritis, and stupor. Toxic dosage is unknown.

• Monitor for signs and symptoms of poisoning and alert the patient's primary health care provider if they occur.

• Caution the patient against consuming large quantities of barberry because it contains potentially toxic chemicals.

• Inform the patient that little evidence exists to support medicinal uses of barberry.

• Caution the female patient to avoid using barberry during pregnancy.

Points of Interest

Berberine gives the rootwood of the barberry plant its characteristic bright golden yellow color.

Berberine salts derived from barberry have been used as an astringent in eye drops and eye washes.

Commentary

More evidence needs to be collected before barberry or its components can be considered useful for therapeutic application. This compound needs further evaluation as an antidiarrheal before it can be recommended for acute diarrhea.