Summary:

Barberry has been used in Indian folk medicine for centuries, and the Chinese have used berberine, a constituent of barberry, since ancient times. The first available documented use of berberine was in 1933 for trachoma. Historically, barberry was commonly used for its antidiarrheal and antibiotic properties. It is used in the form of a liquid extract, given as decoction, infusion or tincture, but generally a salt of the alkaloid berberine is administered. In vitro and animal studies have shown berberine to have promising anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, hypoglycemic, and immunomodulating effects, and future clinical research is warranted in these areas. Many clinical trials have been conducted using berberine, but none have investigated the actions of barberry as a whole plant. There is strong evidence to support berberine's use in the treatment of trachomas, diarrhea, and leishmaniasis, but no available evidence indicating that barberry itself has equivalent efficacy and safety as berberine.

Uses:

No human scientific evidence available that qualifies for grading.

Safety:

Avoid if allergic or hypersensitive to barberry, any of its constituents including berberine, or any member of the Berberidaceae family. Use cautiously with cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and kidney disease kidney disease. Use cautiously in children due to lack of sufficient available evidence. Barberry has exhibited uterine stimulant properties, and berberine has been shown to have anti-fertility activity. Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Note: Based on a lack of available evidence investigating barberry, no firm recommendations can be made regarding barberry's safety. Based on unsubstantiated reports barberry is possibly unsafe when used for longer than eight weeks due to theoretical changes in bacterial gut flora and in bone formation. However, berberine, a constituent of barberry, is likely safe when used in otherwise healthy adults at recommended doses for up to eight weeks. It is likely safe when the fruit is consumed in food amounts, which contains only trace amounts of berberine.

Possible side effects:

There is little available scientific evidence regarding the safety of barberry, and most adverse effects included below have been reported following administration of berberine.

Abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating or swelling, abortion, bradycardia (slow heart beat), cardiac arrest, cardiac damage, changes in gut flora abdominal distention, death, decrease in blood glucose, delayed small intestinal transit time, diarrhea, dyspnea (difficulty breathing), eye irritation, giddiness, headache, hemorrhagic nephritis (inflammation of kidneys), hyperbilirubinemia (abnormally high amounts of bile pigment, bilirubin, in the blood), hypertension (high blood pressure), hypotension (low blood pressure), infertility, inhibition of osteoclast-like cells, kidney irritation, lethargy, leukopenia (abnormally low white blood cell count), nausea, nosebleed, paresthesias (tingling, prickling, etc), permanent hyperpigmentation in the arm, respiratory failure, respiratory spasms, skin irritation, ventricular tachycardia (fast heart beat), and vomiting.

Possible interactions:

1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitosurea (BCNU), acetylcholine, anti-arrhythmic agents, antibiotics (tetracyclines), anticholinergic agents, antihistamines, antihypertensive agents, blood sugar drugs, blood thinning or thickening drugs and NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, diuretics, drugs metabolized through cytochrome P450 3A4 enzymes, L-phenylephrine, sedative drugs, Yohimbine, and herbs and supplements with similar effects.

Dosing:

Adults (18 years and older):

A tincture (1:10), 20-40 drops daily has been used. Also reported is use of a dry extract of 250-500mg three times daily.

Children (younger than 18 years):

Not enough scientific data available.