Berberis aquifolium 2010.01.

11 17:17

Monographs Indications Actions Constituents Studies Articles

Select a monograph to view

site contents
Monographs Indications Berberis aquifolium Go
Actions Articles Studies
Constituents Home Monograph index Previous: Barosma betulina Next: Berberis
aristata
herbal database - use echi* for echinacea
search
search tips, form and examples

Edit your profile (Jorge)

About Phytotherapies
Monograph : Berberis
aquifolium
Top 20 herbs
The most popular herbs as
selected by our registered
Common name: oregon grape
users.
Other names: mahonie, mountain grape, creeping
1. Vitex agnus-castus
2. Achillea millefolium
barberry, holy grape, yerba de sangre
3. Echinacea spp.
4. Glycyrrhiza glabra
5. Calendula officinalis
Family: Berberidaceae
6. Paeonia lactiflora
7. Hypericum perforatum
8. Matricaria recutita
Parts used: rhizome, root
9. Andrographis paniculata
10. Coleus forskohlii
11. Angelica sinensis Description
12. Cimicifuga racemosa Historical Use
13. Adhatoda vasica
14. Dioscorea spp.
Cautions
15. Stevia rebaudiana Dose Dry Herb
16. Angelica archangelica Dose Extract
17. Berberis aquifolium Indications
18. Trifolium pratense
Contraindications
19. Rumex crispus
20. Chamaelirium luteum Qualities
Actions
Constituents
Toxicology
Pharmacological Studies
Technical Support Clinical Studies
Experienced Herbalists are
available to answer your
enquires :
[email protected]
Description
Grows wild throughout Europe, North and South America.
Evergreen shrub which may grow to more than two
metres with branched, spiny (holly-like) leaves. Pinnate
High quality leaves with seven or nine leaflets in pairs along a thin but
extracts tough stem. Rough textured, wavy margined with
www.herbworx.com (US & somewhat prickly edges, and darker above than below.
Europe) The evergreen leaves turn red in autumn.
www.phytomedicine.com.au
(Australia) The main stems seldom rise more than an inch or two,
and are actually not so much stems as the upper
extensions of the many creeping thin roots that form
Best viewed at 800x600 upwards

http://www.phytotherapies.org/monograph_detail.cfm?id=50 Página 1 de 4
Berberis aquifolium 2010.01.11 17:17

Best viewed at 800x600 upwards

interconnected colonies. The blossoms are tight yellow
clusters blooming in spring, ripening to dusty dark blue
berries that are bitter and slightly sweet. Both the stem
and roots have a bright yellow pith colour and are
intensely bitter, owing to the presence of the alkaloid
berberine. The roots and main stems can be collected at
any time.1

According to current botanical nomenclature, should now

be referred to as Mahonia aquifolium. Other botanical
synonyms are Mahonia repens and Berberis repens.
_____________
1 Moore, M, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West, 1979,
The Museum of New Mexico Press, Sante Fe, p 117-119.

Historical use
Elders of the Saanich and Cowichan Coast Salish people of
southern Vancouver Island treat, or have treated in the
recent past, many ailments with bark preparations.
Interviews with two elder Salishan women revealed that
dermatological complaints were treated with the bark of
Berberis spp., Rubus spectabilis, and Symphoricarpos
albus. In most cases, infusions or decoctions of barks are
used. The medicines are drunk or applied externally as a
wash. 1

Felter and Lloyd write in the Eclectic materia medica,

King’s American Dispensatory, that Berberis aquifolium is
considered an alterative and a tonic, and recommended in
'syphilitic affections, saltrheum, pitriasis, psoriasis, and
other cutaneous affections, as well as in maladies
supposed to be due to some mal-conditions of the blood'.
It was also used for 'dyspeptic conditions, chronic mucous
maladies, and in certain enfeebled conditions of the
system, atonic dyspepsia with hepatic torpor, cirrhotic
liver with gastroenteritis and chronic constipation'. The
herb was also recommended for eczema, leucorrhoea,
gastric and intestinal catarrh. 2
_____________
1 Turner, NJ, Hebda, RJ, “Contemporary use of bark for
medicine by two Salishan native elders of southeast
Vancouver Island, Canada”, J Ethnopharmacol, Apr; 29(1),
pp 59-72,1990.
2 Felter, HW & Lloyd, JU, King’s American Dispensatory,
1983, 18th Edn, Volume 1 & 2, reprint, Eclectic Medical
Publications, Portland.

Cautions
No adverse reaction from long term use of B. aquifolium
is expected.

Toxicology
The oral LD 50 in mice of berberine is 330 mg/kg. Oral
doses of up to 100 mg/kg of berberine sulphate have
been well tolerated in animal studies without lasting

http://www.phytotherapies.org/monograph_detail.cfm?id=50 Página 2 de 4
Berberis aquifolium 2010.01.11 17:17

effects. 1
_____________
1 Lampe, KF, ‘Berberine’ in de Smet, PAGM, et al (eds),
Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs, Volume 1, Springer-
Verlag, Berlin, 1992.

DoseDryHerb
3 to 6 g per day.

DoseExtract
20 to 50 mL per week (1:2)

Indications
acne, acne (topically), boils, catarrh, gastrointestinal,
diarrhoea, dyspepsia, eczema, gall stones (cholelithiasis),
gallbladder disorders, gout, infection, skin, liver disease,
psoriasis, rheumatic conditions, urticaria

Contra Indications
pregnancy, first trimester

Qualities
warm

Actions
alterative, anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory (GIT),
anti-psoriatic, anticatarrhal (upper respiratory tract),
antiemetic, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, aperient, bitter
tonic / digestive, cholagogue, hepatotonic, lipogenesis- &
lipoxygenation-inhibiting

Constituents
Whole extract of B. aquifolium inhibits lipid peroxidation,
however this effect is not mediated by the alkaloids
berberine, berbamine, and oxyacanthine.

aporphine alkaloids, aquifoline, armoline, baluchistine,

berbamine, berberine, bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids,
columbamine, corytuberine, isocorydine, isothebaine,
jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, obamegine, oxyacanthine,
oxyberberine, protoberberine alkaloids, tannin

Pharmacological studies
Antimicrobial activity

Berberine is antimicrobial

Antiproliferative activity
Berberis aquifolium inhibits keratiocytes

Cardiovascular activity
Berberine has cardiotonic activity
Berberine is antiarrhythmic

http://www.phytotherapies.org/monograph_detail.cfm?id=50 Página 3 de 4
Berberis aquifolium 2010.01.11 17:17

Central nervous system response

Aporphine alkaloids may act on benzothiazepine
receptors

Choleretic activity
Berberine stimulates the secretion of bile and bilirubin

Inhibition of lipoxygenase, lipid peroxidation

B. aquifolium inhibits lipid peroxidation
Berberine and other alkaloids inhibit lipoxygenase
Bisbenzyllisoquinoline alkaloids isolated from Berberis
aquifoliuim inhibit lipid peroxidation

Lipogenesis inhibition
Berberine suppresses lipogenesis

Clinical studies
Psoriasis
Psoriasis, chronic, improves with topical Berberis
aquifolium

Author: Michael Thomsen

Home Edit Profile Monographs Indications

Actions Studies Constituents About us Subscribe

top of page

Phytotherapies.org - serving the herbal practitioner community.

Copyright 2000 Phytotherapies.org. All rights reserved.
Contact us at [email protected]
Another site built by RUCC

http://www.phytotherapies.org/monograph_detail.cfm?id=50 Página 4 de 4