Berberis Aristata DC
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International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue-17 December 2017 Berberis aristata DC. An updated review of its botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology along with its ethnomedicinal uses Mehnaz Bano & Bilal Ahmed Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu. *[email protected] Abstract: Berberis aristata (family Berberidaceae), chronic rheumatism and urinary disorders. In commonly known as Daruhaldhi is widely this updated review, a comprehensive account of distributed from Himalayas to Sri lanka, Bhutan the botany, phytochemical constituents and and hilly areas of Nepal and used in folk pharmacological activities is presented along medicine. A wide range of medicinally and with ethnomedicinal/traditional uses in a view of nutritionally important phytochemical many recent findings and its potential for future constituents have been isolated from plant such research. as yellow colored alkaloids Berberine, Key words: Antidiabetic, antimicrobial, oxyberberine, berbamine, aromoline, a anticancer, Berberis aristata, hepatoprotective. protoberberine alkaloid karachine, palmatine, Introduction: oxycanthine and taxilamine and tannins, sugar, Berberis belongs to family Berberidaceae, starch. Plant possesses minerals such as Sodium, represented by around 12 genera and 600 species Sulphur, Iron, Zinc, Lead, Magnesium, of which Berberis L. is the major group with Potassium and Phosphorus, which contribute to around 500 species (1) widely distributed in broad variety of biological processes and are temperate and sub-tropical regions of Northern valuable in the treatment of various disorders. hemisphere and temperate South-America (2). Traditionally used in Indian system of medicine, These plants are known to have various the plant has been used against as a tonic, medicinal components especially alkaloids alternative, antimicrobial, anti-cancerous, having different pharmacological activities (3). anticoagulants, antipyretic, hepatoprotective Apart from its medicinal uses, some species are hypoglycemic, demulcent, CNS depressant, also used as a source of natural dye (4-5). Fruits diaphoretic, and diuretic, in the treatment of of Berberis are commonly used in Persian and diarrhea, jaundice and skin diseases, syphilis, Georgian cuisines (6). Kirtikar and Basu (7) Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 3936 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue-17 December 2017 clustered this genus into three groups on the used as raw drug and in different ayurvedic and basis of their medicinal value viz. The Rocky homeopathic formulations (9-10). It is commonly Mountain group (B. aquifolium Pursh), the used in Indian system of medicine as Asiatic group (B. aristata DC) and European antichlamydial, antimicrobial, hepato-protective, group (B. vulgaris L). anti-diarrhea, hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, gastro- Berberis aristata DC. commonly called irritant, anticoagulants, antipyretic, hypotensive, ‘daruharidra’ is critically endangered species of CNS depressant and diaphoretic (7, 12-15). Due Indian Himalaya because of its extensive to it’s over exploitation by the herbal industries, collection for roots to extract Berberine alkaloid B. aristata is substituted with B. asiatica Roxb, (8). B. aristata is the most important species and B. chitria Ahrendt and B. lycium Royle (16-18). Table 1: Vernacular names of Berberis aristata Region/Language Vernacular name English Indian Barberry, Tree Turmeric Bengal Darhaldi, Daruharidra Gujarat Daruharidra, Daruhuladur Himachal Pradesh Rasont, Kashmal Hindi Chitra, Dar-Hald, Rasaut, Kashmal Sanskrit Katamkateri, Dirvi Kerala Maradarisina, Maramanjal, Maharashtra Daruhald Nepal Chitra, Chutro Punjab Chitra, Kasmal. Simlu, Sumlu Tamil Nadu Mullukala, Usikkala Sanskrit Daruharidra, Darvi, Kata, Pitadaru, Suvarnavarna The plant is an erect glabrous spinescent shrub, Distribution: ranging between 3-6 m in height with 10-20 cm B. aristata is found growing wild, in small stem diameter with hard and yellow wood (8). patches on the bill slopes (19), distributed Roots are thick, woody, yellowish brown in throughout the Himalayas, from Bhutan to color, cylindrical in out-line, knotty and covered Kunawar (altitude 6-10,000 ft), Nilgiri hills with a thin brittle yellowish brown bark. (altitude 6-7,000 ft) and Sri Lanka (altitude 6- Internally surface of bark is bright yellow, rough, 7,000 ft) (20-21). A. Botany: Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 3937 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue-17 December 2017 fibrous with small fine ridges, odorless and bitter are 2-5 in number, varying in colour from yellow in taste (22-23) to pink (8, 20-21, 24). Leaves (3.8-10 × 1.5-3.3 cm long) are simple, in Flowering in B. aristata starts from the first tufts of 5-8, obovate to elliptic in shape, subacute fortnight of March and remains in progress up to to obtuse apex, entire or toothed margins, the end of April and the fruiting starts from the verticillate phyllotaxy, leathery, with reticulate second week of May and continues throughout pinnate venation, glossy deep green on the dorsal June. The fruiting season, therefore, ends surface and light green on the ventral surface (8, abruptly with the commencement of the rainy 24). season (24). Flowers numerous, stalked, complete, B. Nutritional attributes: hermaphrodite, cyclic, actinomorphic, Andola et al. (25) carried out comparative perigynous, pedicellate (4-6 mm long) and studies on the nutritive and anti-nutritive yellow in color with the average diameter of a properties of fruits in selected Berberis species of fully opened flower being 12.5 mm. West Himalayas. In seed samples of B. aristata Inflorescence a simple corymbose raceme (2.5- various nutritionally important components 7.5 cm long), and dense-flowered (11-16 flowers present were Zinc (1.35), Iron (23.4 mg/100 g), per cluster) (8, 20-21). Magnesium (8.4mg/100g), Sodium (239.8 Polysepalous: 6 sepals (3 small, 3 large), yellow, mg/100 g), Potassium (526.4 mg/100 g) and actinomorphic caducous, 4 to 5 mm long; Lithium (7.4mg/100g). As far as nutritional value Corolla, polypetalous: 6 petals, yellow, of its fruit pulp is concerned, these also have got actinomorphic, 4 to 5 mm long; androecium, Zinc (11.2 mg/100 g), Iron (180.8 mg/100 g), polyandrous, with 6 stamens, adnate, 5 to 6 mm Magnesium 5.8 mg/100 g, Cobalt (3.5 mg/100g), long; gynoecium, one, 4 to 5 mm long, with a Sodium (72.6 mg/100 g), Calcium (872 mg/100 short style and a broad stigma (24). g) and Lithium (8.5 mg/100 g). Fruit is a small berry (7-10×4 mm in size), globose to ovoid in shape, bluish black or bright C. Ethnobotanical studies: red in color and covered with a thick pale or Tincture made from B. aristata leaves is bluish white bloom with persistent style and used as a bitter tonic and alterative, in cases of stigma and are born in pendulous clusters. Seeds remittent as well as intermittent fevers and also in debility, hepatotoxicity, periodic neuralgia and Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 3938 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue-17 December 2017 menstrual disorders (26-27). While, Chauhan contraceptive in combination with the extracts of (28) reported the use of root decoction against Iris germanica and Terminalia chebula (41-42). piles and gastric disorders by local people of However, Chhetri et al. (43) reported the tribal Tibet, Shah (29) reported the tribal people of people of Sikkim and Darjeeling using root bark Kumaum region using its root decoction for extract of B. aristata (5–10ml) twice a day for 1– treating eye-infections and boils. Bently (30) 2 weeks to treat diabetes. Daruharidra is also reported the plant being used in intermittent and used traditionally to cure ophthalmic and other remittent fevers and in debility, diarrhea and eye diseases (19). dyspepsia. Traditionally, the decoction of root D. Phytochemical composition: bark, mixed with an equal quantity of milk, is Rastogi and Mehrotra (44) reported constituents used to cure piles (31). Leaf extract are used for are berberine, berbamine, aromoline, karachine, preventing acetaminophen-induced liver damage palmatine, oxyacanthine and oxyberberine in B. (10), however, Chatterjee (32) reported the use of aristata. Later, Sivakumar and Nair (45) reported root powder mixed with butter to cure bleeding various polyphenolic flavonoids like (E)-caffeic piles. While, ripe fruits of this plant species are acid, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, meratin and used as mild laxative for children and exhibits rutin from the flower extract of B. aristata. hypochlolestrolemic activity, cambium paste is While, Andola et al. (46) has reported higher used for treating rheumatism (33-35). berberine content in B. asiatica (4.3 %) in Berberine is the active constituent of B. comparison to B. lycium (4.0 %) and B. aristata aristata, which is chiefly found in outer barks of DC (3.8 %); Srivastava et al. (18) noticed these stemand root of the plant having wide range of values higher in B. aristata (2.8 %) as compared pharmacological effects (36). Root-bark extract to B. asiatica