Description

Barberry, Latin name Berberis vulgaris, is native to Europe, where it is commonly used as an ornamental shrub. It is also commonly grown in North America. Its close relative, Berberis aquifolium, is a native of North America, and is also known as Oregon grape. Native Americans originally taught settlers its value as a medicinal herb. Two other species of the plant, Nepalese and Indian barberry, are native to those areas and possess similar qualities.

Barberry is a perennial herb that is usually around 8 ft (2.4 m) tall, but can grow up to 10 ft (3 m) high. It bears yellow flowers, red or black berries, and small rounded fleshy leaves. It flourishes in dry sandy soil, and prefers a sunny location. Research has established that the active alkaloids in barberry belong to the isoquinoline family. They are berberine, berbamine, oxyacanthine, bervulcine, columbamine, isotetrandrine, jatrorrhizine,...