BARBERRY (Berberis vulgaris L.)

BARBERRY (Berberis vulgaris L.)

Synonym — B. jacquinii hort. ex K. Koch, B. sanguinea hort. ex K. Koch, B. vulgaris f. atropurpurea
Regel, B. vulgaris var. pupurea Bertin ex Jacques & Herincq.
Activities (Barberry) — Alterative (f; CRC); Amebicide (1; APA; PNC); Antiacetylcholinesterase
(1; MAB); Antialzheimeran (1; COX; FNF); Antiamnesic (1; MAB); Antiarrhythmic (1; LAF);
Antiarthritic (1; COX; FNF); Antibacterial (1; APA; FAD); Anticancer (1; COX; FNF); Anticariogenic
(1; MAB); Anticholinesterase (1; PNC); Anticonvulsant (1; APA; PNC); Antiemetic (1; MAB);
Antifibrillatory (1; APA; LAF); Antihelicobacter (1; X9781854); Antihemorrhagic (1; PNC); Antiinflammatory
(1; APA; PNC); Antiitch (f; FAD); Antimitotic (1; MAB); Antineoplastic (1; PNC);
Antiperistaltic (1; FNF); Antipyretic (1; CRC; PH2; PNC); Antiscorbutic (1; PH2); Antiseptic (1;
APA; CRC; FAD; PED; PH2; PNC); Antispasmodic (1; MAB; PED); Antitrypanosomic (1; PNC);
Antitubercular (1; PNC); Antiulcer (1; X9781854); Aperitif (f; FAD; PH2); Astringent (1; APA; FAD);
Bitter (f; HHB; PED); Cholagogue (1; CRC; HH2; PHR); Choleretic (1; CRC; FAD; HH2; MAB;
PH2); Collyrium (1; MAB); Depurative (f; CRC; FAD; FEL; MAB); Diaphoretic (f; FAD); Diuretic
(1; CRC; FAD; PHR; PH2); Expectorant (f; CRC; EFS; FAD); Fungicide (1; APA; PED; PNC);

Hematigenic (FEL; PH2); Hepatotonic (f; MAD); Hypotensive (1; APA; HH2; PED; PH2; PNC);
Immunostimulant (1; APA; LAF; PED; PH2); Laxative (1; APA; CRC; FAD); Leucocytogenic (1;
PNC); Mydriatic (1; MAB); Negative Inotropic (1; PH2); Parasiticide (1; APA); Peristaltic (1; PHR;
PH2); Positive Inotropic (1; PH2); Sedative (1; APA; PNC); Tonic (f; CRC; PED); Tranquilizer (1;
PED); Uterotonic (1; APA; DEM; HH2; PNC); Vasoconstrictor (f; FAD).
Indications (Barberry) — Alzheimer’s (1; COX; FNF); Ameba (1; APA; MAB; PNC); Amnesia
(1; MAB); Anorexia (f; CRC; FAD; HHB; MAD; PED; PHR; PH2); Aphtha (f; FEL); Arrhythmia
(1; LAB; LAF; MAB); Arthrosis (1; COX; FAD; FNF; HH2; MAB; MAD; PH2); Backache (f;
MAD); Bacteria (1; APA; CRC; FAD); Biliousness (f; CRC; MAB); Bladder Stone (f; HHB);
Bleeding (1; CRC; FAD; MAD; PED; PNC); Bronchosis (1; CRC; PED); Calculus (f; CRC;
FEL); Cancer (1; COX; FNF; JLH; MAB); Cancer, colon (1; COX; FNF); Cancer, liver (1; COX;
CRC; JLH); Cancer, mouth (1; COX; JLH); Cancer, neck (1; COX; CRC; JLH); Cancer, stomach
(1; COX; CRC; JLH); Cardiopathy (1; MAB); Caries (1; MAB); Catarrh (f; CRC); Chlorosis (f;
MAD); Cholecystosis (f; CRC; KOM; MAB; MAD; PH2); Cholera (1; APA; FEL; MAB; MAD;
PNC); Cold (f; PH2); Colic (f; CRC); Congestion (f; APA); Conjunctivosis (1; APA); Constipation
(1; APA; CRC; FAD; MAB; PH2); Convulsion (1; APA; PNC); Cough (1; CRC; FAD); Cramp
(1; KOM; MAB; PED; PH2); Cystosis (f; MAD); Debility (f; CRC); Dermatosis (f; CRC);
Diabetes (1; MAB); Diarrhea (1; CRC; FAD; FEL; MAD; PH2; PNC); Dysentery (1; FEL; MAB;
PNC); Dysmenorrhea (f; CRC); Dyspepsia (f; APA; MAD; PHR; PH2); Dysuria (f; CRC; FEL;
MAD); Enterosis (1; KOM; MAB); Eye Problem (1; MAB); Fever (1; APA; CRC; FAD; FEL;
MAD; PED; PH2; PNC); Fistula (f; CRC); Flu (1; LAF); Flux (f; CRC); Fungus (1; APA; PED;
PNC); Gall Bladder (1; FAD; MAB; PHR); Gallstone (f; CRC; MAB; MAD); Gastrosis (1;
KOM; MAB; MAD; PH2); Giardia (1; MAB); Gingivosis (F; DEM); Gout (f; CRC; HH2; MAD;
PHR; PH2); Gravel (f; CRC); Halitosis (f; CRC); Headache (f; MAD); Heartburn (f; CRC; PHR;
PH2); Helicobacter (1; X9781854); Hemorrhoid (f; CRC; MAD; PHR; PH2); Hepatosis (1; CRC;
FAD; HH2; MAB; PH2); Herpes (f; APA; CRC); High Blood Pressure (1; APA; CRC; HH2;
PED; PH2; PNC); Hypertyraminemia (1; MAB); Immunodepression (1; APA; LAF; PED; PH2);
Induration (f; JLH); Infection (1; APA; FAD; PED; PH2; PNC); Inflammation (1; APA; COX;
CRC; FNF; PNC); Insomnia (1; APA; PNC); Irritation (f; CRC); Itch (1; CRC; FAD; MAB);
Jaundice (1; APA; CRC; DEM; FAD; FEL; PH2); Kidney Stone (f; HHB; MAD); Knee Pain (f;
CRC); Amenorrhea (1; APA; PNC); Leishmaniasis (1; MAB; MAD; PHR; PH2); Leprosy (f;
MAD); Leucocytogenic (1; PNC); Leukorrhea (f; CRC); Lumbago (f; CRC; MAD; PHR; PH2);
Malaria (f; MAD; PHR; PH2); Metrorrhagia (f; CRC; MAD); Morphinism (f; MAD; PHR; PH2);
Mucososis (f; CRC); Mycosis (1; APA; MAB; PED; PNC); Nausea (1; MAB); Negative Inotropic
(1; HH2; PH2); Nephrosis (f; CRC; FEL; KOM; MAD; PH2); Nervousness (1; APA; PED; PNC);
Neuralgia (f; CRC); Neurosis (f; MAD); NIDDM (1; MAB); Odontosis (f; MAD); Ophthalmia
(f; APA); Opiate Withdrawal (f; PHR); Oxaluria (f; CRC); Parasite (1; APA); Phthisis (f; MAD);
Plague (f; APA); Polyp (f; CRC); Positive Inotropic (1; HH2; PH2); Protozoa (f; CRC); Pulmonosis
(f; HHB); Pyelosis (f; MAD); Renal Colic (f; CRC); Retinosis (f; MAD); Rheumatism
(1; COX; CRC; FAD; MAD); Ringworm (f; CRC); Sacral Pain (f; CRC); Salmonella (1; CRC;
HDR); Scrofula (f; MAD); Sore Throat (f; MAD); Splenosis (f; HH2; PH2); Staphylococcus (1;
CRC; HDR); Stomatosis (f; JLH); Streptococcus (1; CRC; HDR); Scab (f; CRC); Sciatica (f;
APA; FAD); Scrofula (f; CRC; PHR); Side Pain (f; CRC); Sore (f; CRC); Sore Throat (f; APA;
DEM); Splenosis (f; CRC; HH2; KOM; PH2); Spermatic Cords (f; CRC); Spleen (f; CRC);
Stomachache (f; PH2); Stomatosis (f; APA; CRC); Stone (f; HHB); Stress (1; PED); Trachoma
(1; MAB); Trichomoniasis (1; MAB); Tuberculosis (1; ABS; CRC; MAD; PHR; PH2; PNC);
Tumor (f; CRC); Typhus (f; CRC); Ulcer (f; CRC; X9781854); Urethrosis (f; MAD); Uterrhagia
(f; APA); Uterosis (f; CRC; KOM); UTI (1; APA; PHR; PH2); Vaginismus (f; CRC); Vaginosis
(1; APA); Vomiting (1; MAB); Water Retention (1; CRC; FAD; PHR; PH2); Worm (1; MAB);
Wound (1; APA); Yeast (1; APA; PED).

Dosages (Barberry) — 2–4 g tincture (MAD); 1.5–3 tsp tincture 3 ×/day (APA); 2–3 g fl extract
(MAD); 20–40 drops 1:10 bark tincture (PHR; PH2); 2–4 ml liquid bark (PNC); 1–2 tbsp fresh
bark/day (PED); 2 g bark/250 ml water (PHR; PH2); 1.5–3 g dry bark/day (PED); 0.5–1 g
powdered bark (PNC); 1 tsp (= 2.1 g) root bark in hot tea (MAD); 0.5 tsp powdered root
bark/cup/1 ×/day; 2 g dry root:10 ml alcohol:10 ml water (PED); 2 tsp (5 g) berries in cold tea
(MAD); 1–2 tsp fruit/150 ml water (PHR).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Barberry) — Class 2b (AHP). Unapproved
(KOM). (Several species mentioned. Should this be included since it is written up as the alkaloid
berberine?) Possibly hepatotoxic. Oral administration appeared to cause nausea, emesis, diarrhea,
renal irritation, and nephrosis in unanesthetized dogs. Canadians do not allow berberine containing
bark, even in alcoholic beverages. Commission E reports no risks are known for the fruit,
but other parts contain the alkaloid berberine (AEH). One source says high doses are dangerous,
but Commission E says that berberine at 500 mg (equiv. to >8 g root bark with 6.1% alkaloid)
is well tolerated (KOM). But high dosages (of berberine) may generate serious dyspnea and
spasms, ending in lethal primary paralysis of the respiratory system (25 mg/kg in cats and dogs).
Such doses may also cause hemorrhagic nephrosis (KOM). Death from berberine has been
reported (MAB). I suspect the herbal PDR erred in saying of the root bark, “Dosages over 4 mg
will bring about light stupor, nosebleeds, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney irritation.” It also said,
“No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper administration of
designated therapeutic dosages” (PH2), and gave 2 g as root bark dosage (Gruenwald, 2000).
Though no toxicity problems have been observed so far, avoid preparations during pregnancy
due to uterotonic activity (PNC). Contraindicated for pregnant women due to its stimulant effect
on the uterus. Berberine is reportedly mutagenic in yeast cells and Ames test (intercalation into
the DNA) (PH2). Upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or faintness may occur.
Convulsions, drastic lowering of blood pressure, heart rate, or respiration may be caused by large
doses of barberry. In cases of heart disease or chronic respiratory conditions, consult health care
practitioner before using (TMA, 1996). If Barney is right in saying that “goldenseal should not
be taken for long periods of time,” I suspect that the same would be true for those herbs containing
similar compounds, such as barberry, goldthread, oregon grape, and yellowroot. Therefore, I
lowered their safety ratings to 1+ (Barney, 1996).
Extracts (Barberry) — Berbamine strongly active against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Salmonella typhii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus viridans. Berbamine
increases white blood cell and platelet counts in animals; used in China for “essential hypotension”
(PNC) and leukopenia following chemotherapy and/or radiation. Palmatine anticholinesterase,
hypotensive, and uterostimulant. Jatrorrhizine antifungal, hypotensive, and sedative. Magnoflorine
and oxyacanthine also hypotensive. Alkaloids with many additional activities. A good
source of the COX-2 inhibitor, berberine (COX; FNF). Berberine showed bactericide property
superior to chloramphenicol (APA).

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