BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NATURAL ORDER: BERBERIDACEAE

COMMON NAMES: MOUNTAIN GRAPE, OREGON GRAPE, MAHONIA AQUIFOLIA, HOLLY-LEAVED
BARBARRY.

PART USED: THE ROOT OF BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM

HISTORY
-------
THIS IS A TALL SHRUB, NATIVE OF THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE UNITED
STATES. IT GROWN FROM COLORADO TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, AND IS ESPECIALLY
ABUNDANT IN OREGON AND THE NORTHERN PART OF CALIFORNIA. BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM
BELONGS TO THE SECTION MAHONIA OF THE GENUS BERBERIS.THE BERBERIS PROPER
HAS SIMPLE LEAVES CLUSTERING IN THE AXIS OF A SIMPLE OR 3-PARTED SPINE. THE
PETALS HAVE TWO GLANDS ON THE INSIDE OF EACH, AT THE BASE. THE FILAMENTS
HAVE NO TEETH. BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM AND THE OTHER SPECIES ARE LONG IN USE IN
DOMESTIC PRACTICE THROUGHOUT THE WEST.MAHONIA SECTION SPECIES: THE WESTERN
UNITED STATES BY,  BERBERIS PINNATA, A TALL SHRUB WITH THE GENERAL
APPEARANCE OF BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM, DISTINGUISHED FROM IT BY THE LEAFLETS,
WHICH ARE GLAUCOUS UNDERNEATH, AND THE LOWER PAIR APPROXIMATE TO THE BASE
OF THE PETIOLE. BERBERIS REPENS, A SMALL CREEPING PLANT, WITH LEAVES OFTEN
TERNATE, AND LEAFLETS NEARLY ORBICULAR, AND WHICH HAS BEEN MUCH CONFOUNDED,
AND FREQUENTLY DESCRIBED AS BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM. BERBERIS NERVOSA, A SMALL
ERECT SHRUB, WITH LEAVES OFTEN LONGER THAN THE STEM - IT APPEARS TO BE MORE
GENERALLY DISTRIBUTED THAN THE OTHER SPECIES. THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS OF
THIS SPECIES ARE, THE LEAFLETS ARE THREE-VEINED FROM AN OBLIQUE BASE, THE
COMMON PETIOLE IS JOINTED "LIKE A BAMBOO STEM", AND THE FLOWERS ARE IN
SLENDER RACEMES. THE TWO OTHER SPECIES, BERBERIS FENDLERI AND BERBERIS
FREMONTI, ARE OF RARE OCCURRENCE.

BOTANICAL SOURCE: BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM IS A SHRUB HAVING STEMS ABOUT 6 FEET
HIGH, ERECT, AND RAPID GROWTH. THE LEAVES ARE ALTERNATE, AND CONSIST OF 3
OR 4 PAIRS OF LEAFS, AND AN ODD ONE. THEY ARE EVERGREEN, BRIGHT AND SHINING
ON THE UPPER SURFACE, AND VERY ORNAMENTAL, SO THE SHRUB IS OFTEN IN
CULTIVATION, OFTEN UNDER THE IMPROPER NAME "HOLLY". THE LEAFS ARE SMOOTH,
OVATE, FROM 2 TO 3 INCHES LONG, AND ONE-HALF AS WIDE. THEY ARE
ACUTE,PINATELY VEINED, AND THE MARGIN IS INDENTED WITH FROM 15 TO 3O SPINY
TEETH. THE LOWER PAIR OF LEAFLETS IS FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES DISTANT FROM THE BASE OF A COMMON PETIOLE.
THE FLOWERS ARE NUMEROUS, SMALL, YELLOWISH-GREEN IN COLOR, AND APPEAR IN
EARLY SPRING, WITH TERMINAL RACEMES. THE CALYX HAS 9 DISTINCT SEPALS,
COLORED LIKE THE PETALS AND IN 2 ROWS, THE OUTER OF WHICH HAS 3 SEPALS. THE
PETALS ARE 6, DISTINCT, ORBICULAR, AND IN ROWS OF 3 EACH. THE STAMENS ARE
ALSO 6, AND OPPOSITE THE PETALS, THEY HAVE IRRITABLE
FILAMENTS, AND ANTHERS, OPENING, EACH BY 2 LITTLE VALVES, HINGED AT A TOP.
THE FRUIT, WHICH IS KNOWN AS "OREGON GRAPE" IS A CLUSTER OF PURPLE BERRIES,
EACH CONTAINING AN  ACID PULP GOOD TASTING, AND FROM 3 TO 9 SEEDS.

DESCRIPTION
-----------
THE ROOT OF THE BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM IS FROM1/2 TO 1 INCH IN
DIAMETER, OFTEN INCREASING TO 2 AND 3 INCHES AT THE BASE OF THE STEM. IT IS
WOODY, YELLOW THROUGHOUT, AND VERY HARD. THE BARK IS DEEP-YELLOW BENEATH
AND BROWN UPON THE SURFACE. IT HAS NO ODOR AND IS VERY BITTER. THE ROOTS OF
THE OTHER SPECIES OF MAHONIA ARE SMALLER, THE B.PINNATA MORE NEARLY
APPROACHING THE B.AQUIFOLIUM IN SIZE, THE B.REPENS IS THE SMALLEST OF ANY
OF THE KNOWN SPECIES.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
--------------------
BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM CONTAINS :BERBERINE, A YELLOW ALKALOID, BERBAMINE, AND
OXYACANTHINE, BOTH WHITE ALKALOIDS, AND PHYTOSTERIN, GUM AND SUGAR. THE
FLOWERS CONTAIN, IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE ALKALOIDS, VOLATILE OIL, AND THE
BERRIES CONTAIN MALIC ACID. THE PRESENCE OF BERBERINE RENDERS BOTH ROOT AND
BARK BITTER. THE WHITE ALKALOID, OXYACANTHINE /CL9H2LNO3, WHICH FORM
SOLUBLE SALTS WITH MOST ACIDS, IS ITSELF PRACTICALLY INSOLUBLE IN WATER,
SOLUBLE IN HOT ALCOHOL AND HOT ETHER, AND SLIGHTLY SO IN COLD ALCOHOL AND
COLD ETHER. IT DISSOLVES FREELY IN FATS AND VOLATILE OILS, AND IN
CHLOROFORM AND BENZOL. IT IS ALKALINE, BITTER AND IN THE PRESENCE OF
SUNLIGHT CHANGES COLOR, BECOMING YELLOWISH. IODIC ACID IS REDUCES BY IT
WITH THE LIBERATION OF FREE IODINE. WITH NITRIC ACID A YELLOW COLOR IS
PRODUCED, WHICH, WHEN HEATED, CHANGES TO PURPLE. COLD SULFURIC ACID TURNS
IT BROWNISH-RED, ON HEATING IT CHANGES TO A VIVID RED, AND FINALLY A BROWN,
COLOR. WITH FERRIC CHLORIDE, IN DILUTE SOLUTION OF POTASSIUM FERRICYANIDE,
A BLUE COLOR IS PRODUCED WITH SALTS OF OXYACANTHINE. BERBAMINE (CL8HL3NO3)
IS A WHITE ALKALOID THE SALTS OF WHICH DISSOLVE SLIGHTLY IN SOLUTIONS OF
CHILI SALTPETRE (NITRATE OF SODIUM). THESE SALTS STRIKE A BLUE COLOR WITH
FERRIC CHLORIDE IN A WEAK SOLUTION OF FERRICYANIDE OF POTASSIUM.PHYTOSTERIN
(C26H44OH2O) IS A NEUTRAL BODY (FOUND ALSO IN CALABAR BEAN, PHYSOSTIGMA
VENENOSUM, BALFOUR), DIFFERING FROM CHOLESTERIN, WHICH IT CLOSELY
RESEMBLES, BY ITS SOLUTION IN CHLOROFORM NOT HAVING ANY AFFECT ON POLARIZED
LIGHT.

ACTION AND USES
---------------
AN ALTERNATIVE AND TONIC, AND HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED IN
SYPHILITIC AFFECTIONS, SALT-RHEUM, PITYRIASIS, PSORIASIS, AND OTHER
CUTANEOUS AFFECTIONS, AS WELL AS IN PROBLEMS SUPPOSED TO BE DUE TO SOME
MAL-CONDITION OF THE BLOOD. EXCRETION AND SECRETION ARE PROMOTED BY IT,
DIGESTION AND ASSIMILATION IMPROVED, THE LYMPHATIC GLANDULAR SYSTEM AND THE
DUCTLESS GLANDS ARE STIMULATED, AND THE RENAL  SECRETIONS SOMEWHAT
AUGMENTED. IT ACTS AS A BLOOD-MAKER, AND IT IS A REMEDY TO INCREASE THE
BODY-FLUIDS. AS A TONIC, IT MAY BE EMPLOYED AS A SYNONYM OF HYDRASTIS,
COLOMBO, BERBERIS. GOOD IN DYSPEPETIC CONDITIONS, CHRONIC MUCOUS
CONDITIONS,IN GASTRIC FUNCTIONS, IT IS A VALUABLE REMEDY FOR ATONIC
DYSPEPSIA, AND PARTICULARLY IF ASSOCIATED WITH HEPATIC TORPOR. A CIRRHOTIC
LIVER, ASSOCIATED WITH GASTRO-ENTERITIS, FOR CHRONIC CONSTIPATION WHEN
COMBINED WITH CASCARA SAGRADA. IT IS SAID TO BE EFFECTUAL IN STOMATITIS. A
MAJOR FIELD FOR BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM IS IN CONSTITUTIONAL SYPHILIS, IF GIVEN
EARLY ENOUGH IT WILL PREVENT TERTIARY PHASES, PROVIDED THE PATIENT HAS NOT
BEEN TO THOROUGHLY MERCURIALIZED. ITS USE MUST BE PROLONGED IN APPRECIABLE
DOSES. IT IS ESPECIALLY ADAPTED TO LONG-STANDING CASES OF SYPHILIS, THE
OLDER THE BETTER.THAT BROKEN-DOWN STATE SO FREQUENTLY FOLLOWING.  THE
VARIOUS ERUPTIONS GIVE WAY TO IT, THE GASTRIC COMPLICATIONS ARE SUBDUED,
AND THE MUCOUS MEMBRANES ARE TONED SO THAT EXCESSIVE SECRETIONS ARE
RESTRAINED. THE BONE AND PERIOSTEAL, AS WELL AS THE MUSCULAR, PAINS OF
SYPHILITICS, ITS ACTION IS SLOW. AS IT IS ALSO IN SEVERE MUSCULAR PAINS,
WITH PARTIAL PARALYSIS, DUE TO SPINAL DISEASE. LONG STANDING SYPHILITIC
PHAGADENAE AND HERPETIC AND ECZEMATOUS STATES, SYPHILITIC ANEMIA. STUBBORN
CASES OF PSORIASIS, IN ERYSIPELATOUS AND CHRONIC SCROFULOUS AFFECTIONS.
WHILE IT HAS FAILES TO CURE CARCINOMA,  VALUABLE IN THE DYSCRASIAE DUE TO A
CANCEROUS CACHEXIA. CERTAIN PULMONIC TROUBLES, BY CONTROLLING SECRETIONS OF
THE MUCOUS TRACT. CASES OF PURPULENT BRONCHORRHOEA, PRONOUNCED INCURABLE,
HAVE BEEN CURED BY IT, PHTHISIS EVEN WHERE THERE WERE EXTENSIVE CAVITIES.
THE APPETITE IMPROVED, EXPECTORATION BECAME LESSENED, THE COUGH MILDER AND
LESS FREQUENT, AND FLESH AND STRENGTH RETURNED. OF SOME VALUE IN
LEUCORRHOEA, WHEN A SYPHILITIC TAINT EXISTS. IN GASTRIC AND INTESTINAL
CATARRH.

DOSAGE
------
THE DOSE OF BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM SHOULD BE RELATIVELY LARGE.SMALL
DOSES WORK LESS AFFECTEDLY. THE DOSE OF THE FLUID EXTRACT IS FROM 10 TO 20
DROPS SOME SAY TO 30 DROPS, EVERY 3 OR 4 HOURS. IT  MUST BE CONTINUED FOR
SOME TIME TO HAVE IT'S EFFECT, CONTINUE A LONG TIME.SPECIFIC INDICATIONS:
SYPHILITIC DYSCRASIAE, CONSTITUTIONAL SYPHILIS, WITH PERIOSTEAL OR MUSCULAR
PAINS, CHRONIC SKIN AFFECTIONS, WITH BLOOD DYSCRAISAE, PROFUSELY SECRETING,
TUMID MUCOUS TISSUES,INDIGESTION, WITH HEPATITIC TORPOR, YELLOW SKIN, WITH
MARKED WEAKNESS AND EMACIATION.

COMPARABLE
----------
CARBOLIC ACID,EUONYM,BERBERIS VULGARIS, HYDRASTIS.CLINICAL
USES:BILIOUSNESS,BRONCHORRHOEA,ECZEMA,FACE ROUGHNESS,
HEADACHE,HERPES,LEUCORRHOEA, PITYRIASIS, PSORIASIS, AFFECTIONS OF
SPLEEN,STOMATITIS,SYPHILIS, TYPHOID,AFFECTIONS OF VOICE.

CLINICAL TRIAL
--------------
START ON NOV.17/1987 10 DROPS 4X A DAY ON A OLD CASE OF
PSORIASIS SINCE 22 YEARS,20% IMPROVEMENT AFTER 3 WEEKS. ITCHING LESS,
MARGIN OF HAIR AND NECK STILL FLAKING.

CONCLUSION
----------
THIS SEEMS TO BE AN EXCELLENT REMEDY FOR THOSE AFFLICTIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH LIVER, GALLBLADDER AND SPLEEN CONDITIONS. TAKE NOTE THAT
THIS IS A SLOW ACTING REMEDY.
