Berberine from Berberis vulgaris

Figures 3 and 4. Structures of hyperforin from Hypericum perforatum L. and berberine from Berberis vulgaris...

Berberine was isolated for the first time from Berberis vulgaris L. (472). The pharmacological properties of berberine resemble those of... 

The extract from Berberis vulgaris as well as that of the alkaloids berberine, oxyacanthine, berbamine, jatrorrhizine, and columbamine stimulate secretion of the bile (480, 481). The strongest effect was produced by berberine, followed by berbamine and oxyacanthine. The choleretic effect of berberine was also studied by Vartazaryan (482). Turova et al. (483) examined the effect of berberine on 225 patients with chronic cholecystitis. Peroral doses of 5-20 mg three times daily before meals over a period of 24-48 hours caused disappearance of the clinical symptoms, decrease in the level of bilirubin, and increase in the bile volume in the gall bladder. Berberine also had a favorable effect in patients with toxic hepatitis induced by intoxication. No side effects were observed on the liver functions or the blood composition. The effect of berberine on the stimulation of bile secretion was also studied by Samaj et al. (484). 

Protoberberines Berberine (umbellatine) (MD—Phe C5N C5N Phe) (DNA-binding cytotoxic, adrenergic receptor antagonist and AChE inhibitor from Berberis vulgaris (Berberidaceae) and other plants). 

Berberine was first isolated from Berberis vulgaris, a shrub of Berberidaceae (21). Since then this alkaloid has been isolated from many plants, namely Annonaceae, Ranunculaceae (mostly herbaceous), Berberidaceae, Menispermaceae, and Papaveraceae (Fumariaceae) (mostly herbaceous). 

Although some alkaloids of this type show pharmacological activity, very few of them have been used then ieutically. Berberine, isolated from Berberis vulgaris, has antimicrobial and protozoodde activity. The biogenesis of scoulerine, a tetrahydroprotoberbmine alkaloid, is shown in Scheme 11. This type of alkaloid has been reviewed (48-50). 

Barberry root is a yellow-red dye that has been used since prehistoric times it is extracted with hot water from the stems, bark, and roots of Berberis vulgaris, a bush that grows indigenously in Europe as well as in North America. The coloring matter in the dye is the organic compound berberine. Silk and wool can be dyed directly with barberry root, yielding a yellow color however, for dyeing cotton, a mordant is required to attach the dye to the substrate fibers. 

Berberis vulgaris, and Hydrastis canadensis, is also active against Staphylococcus aureus, in vitro. Berberine inhibited the growth of S. aureus, with an MIC of 25.0 ig/ml [40], Sub-inhibitory concentrations of berberine were potentiated by the flavones chrysosplenol-D and chrysoplenetin. Fig. 5, from Artemisia annua. This potentiation appears to be due to the inhibition of an S. aureus multidmg resistance (MDR) pump [41]. 

Compositionally 5,6-dihydro-9,10-dimethoxybenzo[g]-l,3-benzodioxolo[5,6-a]quinolizinium, an alkaloid which can be isolated from many plants notably various members of the Berberidaceae (for example, Berberis vulgaris L. and Hydrastis canadensis L.) and consequently a major component of dyes and lake pigments formed from these extracts Merck Index, 1996). Use of dye extracts derived from the so-called Amur cork tree , Phellodendron amurense Rupr. (Rutaceae), which also contains high levels of berberine, have been noted by several authors (see Phellodendron). 

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