Barberry

Barberry is a plant whose fruit, stem, leaves, wood, root and root bark are used to make medicine. Barberry(Berberis vulgaris) is a deciduous, thorny shrub that grows to a height of around 2 meters. The yellow flowers sit in 5 to 7 cm long, hanging clusters. When the stamens are touched, they shoot upwards to form a pistil. The ripe fruits are fleshy, blood-red in color, cylindrical and have a strong sour taste. However, there are also numerous cultivars as garden plants with other characteristics (e.g. plants with white fruits or dark red leaves). The leaves and bark in particular contain alkaloids that can cause symptoms of poisoning. The ripe fruits, on the other hand, are almost alkaloid-free and are suitable for preserving as jam. The barberry grows in Europe, North Africa and parts of America and Central Asia. All parts of the plant contain the isoquinoline alkaloids berberine and berbamine, only the ripe fruits are almost alkaloid-free. Berberine and berbamine have a growth-inhibiting effect on bacteria, fungi and protozoa (protozoa). Barberry products are used for heart failure, liver diseases, malaria, an eye infection called trachoma, skin diseases, heavy menstrual periods, swelling of the stomach and intestines (gastroenteritis), diarrhea and jaundice. The fruits contain plenty of plant acids, as well as anthocyanins and vitamin C. Preparations in the form of pulp or juice are used in folk medicine to treat loss of appetite, constipation or lung, liver and spleen disorders. Barberry products are sometimes applied directly to the skin to treat burns and wounds.

How does barberry work?

The chemicals contained in barberry can increase the heartbeat. They may also be able to fight bacteria.

How effective are barberry products?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective barberry products are for heart failure, an eye infection called trachoma that can lead to blindness, liver disease, malaria, heavy menstrual periods, diarrhea and jaundice, and when applied to the skin for burns. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of barberry products in these applications.

Safety and side effects

There is insufficient information on whether the use of barberry products in medicinal quantities is safe and harmless.

Precautions and warnings

Children: Barberry products are not safe or safe for newborn children. They contain a chemical called berberine, which can cause a rare type of brain damage called kernicterus, which can occur in newborns suffering from jaundice. Jaundice is caused by too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a chemical that is produced when older red blood cells are broken down. Normally, bilirubin is removed from the bloodstream by the liver. However, berberine can prevent the liver from removing bilirubin from the bloodstream quickly enough.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is not safe to use barberry products during pregnancy because they contain a chemical called berberine. Scientists believe that berberine can cross the placenta and could harm the fetus. In some cases, newborn children exposed to berberine have developed kernicterus, a certain type of brain damage.

It is also not safe to use barberry products while breastfeeding, as barberry contains a chemical called berberine. Berberine can be transferred to the baby through breast milk and could cause damage.

Interactions

Barberry products should not be used in combination with the following medications

Cyclosporine

The body breaks down cyclosporine in order to be able to excrete it. Barberry products may reduce the rate at which the body breaks down cyclosporine. This could result in too high cyclosporine levels in the body, which could lead to side effects.

Care should be taken when combining barberry products with the following medications

Drugs that are broken down by the liver (cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) Some drugs are broken down by the liver. Barberry can reduce the rate at which the liver breaks down certain drugs. Taking barberry products in conjunction with medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the side effects of some medications. For this reason, you should consult your doctor before taking barberry products if you are taking medication that is broken down by the liver.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of barberry products depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for barberry products. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

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