Common Barberry

Other names: Berberis Vulgaris, Agracejo, European Barberry, Oregon Grape, Pipperidge, Vinettier

Ornamental thorny shrub with yellow flowers and bright red fruits, often found in gardens, Common Barberry is indigenous to Asia, Europe and Northern Africa. Traditional medicine values Common Barberry especially for its precious help in biliary conditions, the extracts having strong choleretic (increase the volume of bile produced by the liver, favoring detoxification) and spasmolytic effects. The antibiotic properties are also remarkable and Common Barberry fights successfully pathogen germs, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

A pinch of bark powder administered 30 minutes before a meal stimulates digestion and liver function and prevents bloating. In chronic constipation conditions, Common Barberry decoction (1 teaspoon of bark powder to 1 cup of water, boiled for 5-10 minutes) acts like a bitter tonic with anti-hemorrhoid action.  A less concentrated decoction of Common Barberry of 1 teaspoon of bark powder to 500 ml of water is a natural mouthwash, strengthening gums and can also heal inflammations in the mouth and throat. 

An old cure for digestive difficulties and liver disorders was a blend of equal parts of Common Barberry,  Birch, Yarrow, Wormwood and Juniper fruits, boiled for a decoction (1 teaspoon of blend to 1 cup of water). Taken before a meal, the decoction is an excellent digestive tonic.

Common Barberry may also prove helpful in conditions of the heart and the circulatory system, arthritis and joint pain, respiratory discomfort and narcotic withdrawal (“blood purifier”). Rich in vitamin C, Common Barberry fruits are used in jams and jellies, syrups and soft drinks.