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| Latin Name |
English Names |
Sanskrit Names |
Hindi Name |
Berberis aristata
DC. (Berberidaceae) |
Indian Berberry,
Tree Turmeric |
Daruharidra,
Darvi, Darurajani |
Darhald |
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| Habitat |
It is found in
Himalayas.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
It is an erect,
glabrous, spinescent shrub with obovate to elliptic, subacute
to obtuse, entire or toothed leaves. The flowers are yellow
and in corymbose racemes. The fruits are oblong-ovoid or ovoid,
bright red berries.
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| Principal
Constituents |
The alkaloids in
the bark and root bark of Berberis aristata are berberine, berbamine,
aromoline, karachine, palmatine, oxyacanthine and oxyberberine1.
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| Pharmacology |
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Berberone hydrochloride, an alkaloid isolated from Berberis aristata,
was found to have significant anti-inflammatory activity on acute,
subacute and chronic types of inflammations produced by immunological
and non-immunological methods2. Chronic oral (20mg./kg.)
and intramuscular (2mg./kg.) administration of Berberine sulphate
to rats increased the duration of pentobarbitone-induced sleeping
time and decreased serum cholesterol levels3.
The preventive and curative effects of Berberis aristata fruit
extract on paracetamol- and CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity
was studied. Pre-treatment of mice with the (Berberis aristata fruits),
crude extract of Berberis aristata fruits (500mg/kg), reduced the
death rate to 10 percent. Pre-treatment of rats with the fruit extract
(500mg/kg, orally twice daily for 2 days) prevented (p less than
0.05) the paracetamol-(640mg/kg) as well as CCl4-(1.5ml/kg)-induced
rise in serum transaminases (GOT and GPT).
Post-treatment with three successive doses of the extract (500
mg/kg, 6h) restricted the hepatic damage induced by acetaminophen
(p less than 0.01) but CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was not altered.
The plant extract (500mg/kg) caused significant prolongation in
pentobarbital (75mg/kg)-induced sleep as well as increased strychnine-induced
lethality in mice suggestive of inhibitory effect on microsomal
drug metabolizing enzymes (MDME). Hepatoprotective action of the
crude extract of Berberis aristata fruits partly through MDME inhibitory
action has been indicated4.
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| Clinical
Studies |
Clinical studies with berberine
were conducted in 356 patients of Cholera and compared with 264 patients
treated with chloramphenicol. Berberine was found to be effective
in both bacteriologically positive and negative patients. It reduced
the mortality rate, volume and duration of diarrhea, the intake of
intravenous fluid and the convalescence period. Berberine was found
to be better than chloramphenicol in this respect5.
Twenty five patients of giardiasis were treated with berberine in
a dose of 5mg./kg./day for six days, and the results compared with
those of metronidazole given in a dose of 10mg./kg/day for six days
in 9 patients. Twenty patients receiving vitamin B complex syrup for
6 days served as controls. Twelve patients receiving berberine, 3
receiving metronidazole and 3 receiving vitamin B complex showed relief
of clinical symptoms. The stools became free of giardia in 17 patients
receiving metronidazole and 5 receiving B complex6.
Berberine was found to be effective in controlling gastroenteritis
in 50 children. It is a good anti diarrhoeal agent and could be easily
administered in children in the form of a palatable suspension. The
drug was free from any serious toxicity7.
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| Toxicity |
LD50 value of berberine sulphate
in mice, intraperitonially, was found to be 24.3mg./kg.
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| Indications |
The roots form a reputed drug
in Ayurvedic medicine and possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
activities. The drug is regarded as a bitter tonic and is apparently
used as a cholagogue, stomachic, laxative, diaphoretic, antipyretic
and antiseptic. It is administered externally in painful eye affections,
indolent ulcers and hemorrhoids. The rootbark is very useful in periodic
neuralgia and menorrhagia.
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| Product
Range |
Diabecon (GlucoCare),
Geriforte (GeriCare / StressCare), Pilex (VeinCare), Muscle &
Joint Rub, Geriforte Aqua, Geriforte Vet.
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| References |
- Chakravarti et. al., sci indurst Res, 1950, 9B, 161;
Atta-ur-& Banerjee, ibid, 1953, 30, 705; 13 Chatterjee, ibid,
1940 Rahman & Ansari, J chem Soc Pakist, 1983, 5, 282.
- Halder et. al., Ind. J. Pharmac., 1970, 2,26.
- Vad et. al., Ind. J. Pharm.,1970, 32, 1794.
- Gilani, A.H and Janbaz, K.H., Phytotherapy Research, 1995, v.
9(7), 489-4945.
- Lahiri, S.C.and Dutta,N.K, J.Indian Med. Assoc., 1967, 48, 16.
- Choudhury et. al., Indian Pediatrics, 1972, 9, 1437.
- Sharada, D.C., J. Indian. Med. Assn., 1970, 54, 22
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