Ode to the Barberry. Working in the garden over the past 14 years, has led me to an intimate relationship with the land that I have called home. In the Zen garden Barberry sits, with a Japanese maple, yew and cedar. In the Autumn, the Barberry is a sprawling display of fire-colored leaves and berries.

I had wanted to transplant the barberry  as it had grown substantially this past summer. When a client presented with a number of symptoms where Barberry root would suit, I knew it was the inspiration to finally do it and transplant the bush to make a Barberry bark and root remedy. 

When the pandemic hit the country in the Spring of 2020, I spent hours researching other herbalists approach to the virus.  Peter Holmes in speaking of Barberry root, mentions the Chinese Scullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis as having similar properties to the Barberry root. Under further investigation I discovered the Chinese Scullcap, was the number one plant the Chinese  utilized to support and treat the virus.  Chinese Scullcap is considered antibacterial, antifungal, immunostimulant, and serves to treat acute respiratory illness, intestinal,  hepato-billiary, urinary and skin infections.  

Richard Gold, local arborist extraordinaire, came by to offer a few tips to transplant the vulgaris species. I began by collecting all the fruits and dried them slowly. I gathered as many of the leaves as I could and prudently cut back the prickly branches sufficiently enough to get at the roots and transplanted the bush to a place where it can sprawl . What a wonder .

Berberis has long been among the medicinal plants that have been utilized for traditional medicine across all nations of the world. According to traditional medicine berberis was primarily used to treat fever, cough, spleen and liver disease, dysentery, depression as well as sugar imbalances and bleeding. The oldest findings on the use of Barberry fruits was to purify blood dating back to 650 BC. 

The family Berberidaceae, and the genus Berberis is native to moderate and semi tropical regions of Asia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America .Iran, is the largest producer of the Berberis vulgaris fruit in the world, with 11,000 hectares of land under cultivation and over 10,000 tons of dried B. vulgaris fruit produced each year. The fruit of the Berberis bush is rich in nutrients that cultures have depended on for sustenance and health for centuries; cooked with rice, prepared as a juice or processed as medicine.  The fruit are tiny, red and sour in flavour,  and contains an abundant source of Vitamin C and A, as well as calcium, iron and potassium. The fruit also contains abundant iron, and zinc, copper and manganese, all super relevant minerals to a properly functioning immune system .

There are a variety of reasons why berberis is a treasured species; rich in vitamins and minerals, but rich in alkaloids with Berberine and Berbamine, being the most important of them.   Berberine demonstrates many beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti hypo and hyperglycemia, hypotensive and hypolipidemic effects. More recent studies indicate berberis in a root remedy causes significant decreases in glycemic indexes, can aid in weight loss, and is useful in the prevention of gastrointestinal stones.  Berberis has also been found to be effective in treating bacterial infections such as Bacillus, candida albicans, subtilis, E. coli, and staphylococcus. Peter Holmes shares Berberis particularly addresses stagnant hot conditions of the liver gall bladder stomach and intestines. Berberis also, according to Peter deals with  warm damp infections of the pelvic floor with blood congestion.  Berberines have been additionally protective effects on the central nervous system and are slowly being introduced more readily in the treatment of this system today.

In Bio Therapeutic drainage Berberis is indicated for protection and purification; treating conditions from harmful bacteria, parasites; for gallbladder and liver health as well as for the regulation and modification of sugar and lipid balances. Berberis, I recall, came to India with me in the First aid kit. Find out more about this truly healing plant remedy in the Dharani Dispensary.  The remedy is near to ready. OM.

References:

Iranian journey of Basic Medical Sciences Berberis vulgaris: specifications and traditional uses

Medical Plants Research center Shahrekord University, Iran Dept. of Chemistry Faculty of Sciences  April 14, 2017

The Energetics of Western Herbs     Peter Holmes   A Materia Medica integrating Western and Chinese Herbal Therapeutics

Berberine- A powerful Supplement with many benefits    Kris Gunnars BSc.  January14, 2017