Berberis vulgaris - Daruharidra

Berberis vulgaris, Barberry

Berberis aristata

Berberis vulgaris also known as common barberry, European barberry or simply barberry, is a shrub in the genus Berberis. It produces edible but sharply acidic berries, which people in many countries eat as a tart and refreshing fruit. Berberis aristata , also known as Indian Barberry or Haridra Tree (Turmeric), belongs to the family Berberidaceae and the genus Berberis (pronounced bẽr’ber-is). The genus comprises approximately 450-500 species of deciduous evergreen shrubs and is found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Europe, and America. B. aristata is native to the Himalayas in India and in Nepal. It is also naturally found in the wet zone of Sri Lanka.

Description

It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4 m high. The leaves are small oval, 2–5 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, with a serrated margin; they are borne in clusters of 2-5 together, subtended by a three-branched spine 3–8 mm long. The flowers are yellow, 4–6 mm across, produced on 3–6 cm long panicles in late spring. The fruit is an oblong red berry 7–10 mm long and 3–5 mm broad, ripening in late summer or autumn; they are edible but very sour, and rich in Vitamin C.

Uses

• The berries are edible and rich in vitamin C, though with a very sharp flavor; the thorny shrubs make harvesting them difficult, so in most places, they are not widely consumed. They are an important food for many small birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.
• In Europe, the berries have been traditionally used as an ingredient in making jam.
• In Iran, barberries are commonly used as a currant in rice pilaf.
• Zereshk is widely used in cooking, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. It is usually cooked with rice, called zereshk polo, and provides a nice meal with chicken.
• The plant is both poisonous and used in folk medicine.
• A decoction of the plant has been used to treat gastrointestinal ailments and coughs.
• The use of the plant in traditional medicine has been limited by the bitter taste of the bark and root.

Medicinal use

The root bark contains berberine, quaternary ammonium salt of isoquinoline alkaloid. Berberine has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antioxidant properties. It can possess anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-diabetic activities. A women’s university in India, Shri Padmavathi Mahila Viswavidyalayam Tirupati, conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of ayurvedic medicine. They designed a study to provide scientific evidence for the use of Berberis aristata in the treatment of urinary troubles caused as a side effect of the anti-cancer chemotherapy drug, cisplatin. Cisplatin is known to cause nephrotoxicity which is a renal disease or dysfunction. In conclusion, the researchers found that the side effects of cisplatin were reversed by the antioxidant properties of the decoction of root bark of Berberis aristata.

Other research universities in India also studied the medicinal properties of Berberis aristata. In a scientific study of the anti-diabetic activity of the plant, diabetic rats treated with the ethanol extract of the roots showed a significant reduction of serum glucose level. It also showed a significant increase in the level of HDL cholesterol. Additional research must be conducted to determine if the hypolipidemic properties of the plant could serve as a protective mechanism against the development of atherosclerosis, which is usually associated with diabetes.

A preparation called rasaunt is prepared from this plant. Rasaunt is prepared by boiling the bark of the root and of the lower part of the stem in water. The solution is then strained and evaporated till a semi-solid mass is obtained; this is rasaunt. It is mixed with either butter and alum, or with opium and lime-juice. It is also reported to be a mild laxative.

Common name

• English - Barberry
• Kannada - ಬಾಗಿ ಸೂತ್ರ
• Hindi - chitra

External Links

Berberis vulgaris-Wikipedia