Barberries (Berberis) 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Barberries – 100 g ($14.99), 50 g ($9.99), 25 g ($6.99)

Benefits:
Barberry contains vitamin C, which increases immune function and may prevent scurvy. It has a mild diuretic effect. Homeopathic preparations are used for kidney stones, gout, rheumatism, liver and gallbladder disorders, and dry skin diseases such as psoriasis. Unproven uses include opium withdrawal, jaundice, tuberculosis, piles, renal disease, malaria, and leishmaniasis.

Cuts, scrapes, and abrasions; infections of the bladder, eyes, nails, reproductive tract, sinuses, skin, throat; and parasitic infection. In cell studies, berberine (a compound in barberry) kills a vast variety of germs—among them the parasites Leishmania and Plasmodium (the organism that causes malaria); Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Vibrio bacteria; and various kinds of fungi—and is very active against a number of others. Some laboratory tests have found that berberine is a more potent antibiotic than the sulfa drugs against some kinds of infections. Berberine also is effective against some bacteria that have become antibiotic-resistant. But human data are unavailable to support its use in such cases.

Diarrhea. One study found that individuals suffering from cholera-induced diarrhea experienced significant relief from acute diarrhea after twenty-four hours with a dosage of 100 milligrams of barberry four times a day.

Gallstones, kidney stones, and liver problems. The stem and root bark of barberry have been used to improve liver function and to treat gallstones. It has been purported to prevent kidney stones in some people, but it is not indicated as a treatment.

Gastritis and peptic ulcers. Berberine kills Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium implicated in both ulcers and chronic gastritis. Animal studies have shown that the compounds in barberry can reduce muscle spasms, which might further explain their usefulness in gastrointestinal disorders. Alcohol extracts of barberry may help with heartburn and stomach cramps.

Immunity. Extracts of barberry have been used to fight infections, feverish colds, and urinary tract infections (UTIs), although to date these uses are common for hundreds of years, but supporting studies have not been done. A chemical constituent of barberry, palmitine hydroxide, is believed to interfere with the maturation of sperm cells in the testes. Studies indicate that this effect may contribute to sterility in men. Men who are seeking to become fathers should avoid barberries.

Recommended Uses
Barberry is available in capsules, ointments, tablets, and tinctures. The tincture can be used to make compresses. It can be made into a tea as well. The daily dosage of the infusion of tea is 2 grams in 250 milliliters of water, to be sipped. A tincture dose is 20 to 40 drops daily. Homeopathy doses are 5 drops, 1 tablet, or 10 globules every thirty to sixty minutes for an acute illness or one to three times daily for a chronic illness.

Side effects are rare when barberry is used properly. However, dosages of over 4 grams will bring about light stupor, nosebleeds, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney irritation. Treatment may be required to treat this poisonous state.

Another of the chemical constituents of barberry, palmitine hydroxide, is believed to interfere with the maturation of sperm cells in the testes. Studies indicate that this effect may contribute to sterility in men. Men who are seeking to become fathers should avoid barberry.

Berberine alone has been reported to interfere with normal bilirubin metabolism in infants, raising a concern that it may worsen jaundice. Also, there are reports that it can stimulate the uterine muscles. For these reasons, berberine-containing plants, including barberry, goldenseal and Oregon grape root, should not be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers. Also, strong extracts may cause stomach upset, so they should be used for no more than two weeks at a time.

Berberine
Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis (1). Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids. It’s yellow and is often used as a dye.

Berberine has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has been used to treat various ailments (1). Now, modern science suggests that it has impressive benefits for many health concerns (2).

How does it work?
Berberine has been tested in hundreds of studies. One of the main actions of berberine is to activate an enzyme inside cells called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), according to some animal studies (3, 4). AMPK plays a key role in regulating metabolism and energy levels and is found in cells throughout your body (5, 6). Berberine also affects other molecules inside cells and may even affect which genes are turned on or off. This could help protect against many chronic health conditions (7).

Blood Sugar  Many studies show that berberine can significantly lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes (8).

It seems to work via multiple mechanisms and may help (9, 10):

• decrease insulin resistance, making the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin more effective
• increase glycolysis, helping your body break down sugars inside cells
• decrease sugar production in your liver
• slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in your gut
• increase the number of beneficial bacteria in your gut

In a 2008 study of 116 people with diabetes, taking 1 g of berberine per day lowered fasting blood sugar by 20% (11).

It also lowered hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a marker of long-term blood sugar regulation, by 12% and improved levels of blood lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides (11). According to an older review of 14 studies, berberine may be as effective as certain oral diabetes drugs, including metformin, glipizide, and rosiglitazone (12). It works very well in combination with lifestyle changes and has additive effects when used with other blood sugar-lowering drugs (13).

Weight  Berberine may also be effective as a weight loss supplement.

In one older 12-week study in people with obesity, taking 500 milligrams (mg) of berberine three times per day caused about 5 pounds of weight loss, on average. The participants also lost 3.6% of their body fat (14). Additionally, a review of 12 studies found that supplementing with berberine led to significant reductions in body weight, body mass index, and belly fat. It also decreased levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation (15). Berberine also appears to inhibit the growth of fat cells at the molecular level, which could help promote weight loss (16).

However, more research is needed on the potential weight loss effects of berberine.

Cholesterol, Heart Disease  Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death around the globe (17). Many factors that can be measured in your blood are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. As it turns out, berberine has been shown to improve many of these factors.

According to a review of 16 studies, it could help (18):

• decrease total cholesterol
• decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol
• decrease blood triglycerides
• increase HDL (good) cholesterol

It has also been shown to lower apolipoprotein B by 13–15% in some older studies, which is an important risk factor for heart disease (19, 20). According to some research, berberine works by inhibiting an enzyme called PCSK9. This leads to more LDL cholesterol being removed from your bloodstream (21). Diabetes, high blood sugar levels, and obesity are also major risk factors for heart disease, and this supplement seems to help improve all of these conditions (7). Given the beneficial effects on all these risk factors, it seems likely that berberine could reduce the risk of heart disease, though more research is needed.

Other Benefits
Berberine may have numerous other health benefits:

• Depression: Animal studies suggest that it may help reduce symptoms of depression (22, 23).
• Cancer: Test-tube and animal studies suggest that it can reduce the growth and spread of various types of cancer (24).
• Oxidative stress & inflammation: It has been shown to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in test-tube and animal studies (25, 26, 27).
• Infections: Test-tube studies suggest that it can reduce the growth of harmful microorganisms, including certain types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi (28, 29, 30).
• Fatty liver: It may reduce fat buildup in the liver, which could theoretically help protect against NAFLD (31).
• Heart failure: One older study showed that it improved symptoms and reduced the risk of death in people with heart failure (32).

Botanical Name: Berberis vulgaris
English: Common Barberry, True Barberry, Indian Barberry
Ayurvedic: Daruharidraa, Daruharidra
Unani: Darhald, Sumblo booti
Also, known as: Chatrod, Kashmal, Darvi, Daruhuladur, Manupasupu, Gangeti, Daruhalidi, Daaru Haldi Lakdi Daaru Haldi Wood, Daruhalad, Varatiumanjal, Sumalu, Maramanjal, Daruhaladi,Daruhaldi, Maramannal, Maradarishana, Maradarishina, Katamkateri
Habitat: North Western Himalayas
Origin: India
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Berries

General Information:
Barberry is an erect, spinous, deciduous shrub usually 1.8 -3.6 meters in height found in the Himalaya ranges at an elevation of 1000-3000 meters and in the Nilgiri Hills in South India. Bark is around 0.4-0.8 cm thick, pale yellowish brown, soft closely and rather deeply furrowed, rough, brittle. The bark is gray having sharp spines at nodes and the inner wood is yellow. The arched hanging branches have clusters of leaves that are small, toothed, ovate, alternate, dull green above and grayish below. Leaves on young sprouts are spiny. Yellow flowers are perfect, half inch long, occur in drooping racemes 1-2 inches long and have an unpleasant odor. Flowers give way to small oblong berries that are scarlet red to purple. They contain 1-3 small, black seeds. Common barberry spread by seed and by vegetative expansion.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.