European Barberry Interactions Overview

Additional Details

Is European Barberry Safe? Are There Any Warnings?

European barberry is considered likely safe when consumed orally in food amounts. However, there is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of European barberry when used orally in medicinal amounts or topically.

Children: European barberry is considered likely unsafe when used orally in newborns. It can cause kernicterus, a type of brain damage, especially in preterm neonates with hyperbilirubinemia. The safety of European barberry for older children is unknown.

Pregnancy: European barberry is considered likely unsafe when used orally during pregnancy. Berberine, a constituent of European barberry, is thought to cross the placenta and may harm the fetus. Kernicterus, a severe condition, has been reported in newborns exposed to berberine.

Lactation: European barberry is considered likely unsafe when used orally during breastfeeding. Harmful constituents, including berberine, can be transferred to the infant through breast milk.

How Is European Barberry Thought to Work? What Is the Mechanism of Action?

European barberry contains several active constituents, with berberine being the primary one. Berberine is a yellow, crystalline alkaloid responsible for many of European barberry's effects.

Analgesic effects: European barberry extract has shown preliminary analgesic effects in animal studies, suggesting potential pain-relieving properties.

Anticholinergic effects: European barberry fruit and berberine have been found to possess anticholinergic effects, which can influence certain nerve transmissions in the body.

Antidiabetic effects: Berberine, found in European barberry, has shown potential in lowering blood glucose levels, inhibiting aldose reductase, and improving insulin resistance. Clinical studies have demonstrated some positive effects on blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Antimicrobial effects: Berberine has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against various bacteria, fungi, and parasites in laboratory studies.

Antineoplastic effects: In laboratory studies, berberine has exhibited potential antineoplastic effects against several types of cancer cells. It has been suggested to inhibit certain proteins and DNA synthesis involved in carcinogenesis.

Antioxidant effects: Berberine has shown antioxidant properties similar to vitamin E, which can help protect against oxidative stress and damage.

Cardiovascular effects: Berberine has shown potential benefits for blood pressure control, improving vascular endothelial function, reducing arrhythmias, and lowering LDL cholesterol levels in some studies. However, further research is needed to confirm these effects in humans.

Gastrointestinal effects: European barberry has been traditionally used for gastrointestinal conditions. Berberine has been found to reduce gastric acid secretion and delay small intestinal transit time, potentially contributing to its traditional use.

Hepatic effects: Berberine has shown potential anti-inflammatory effects in the liver and may have benefits in treating conditions such as alcoholic liver disease.

Other effects: European barberry has also been investigated for its effects on bone density, renal function, neurologic conditions, and more. Preliminary studies suggest potential benefits, but further research is necessary.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption: Berberine, the primary constituent in European barberry, has poor oral and intestinal absorption. It undergoes extensive metabolism in the liver, resulting in low oral bioavailability.

Distribution: Berberine distributes into various tissues after oral administration, including the liver, kidneys, muscle, lungs, brain, heart, pancreas, and adipose tissues.

Metabolism: Berberine is primarily metabolized by oxidative demethylation and glucuronidation in the liver. It is also metabolized by cytochrome P450 2D6 enzymes.

Elimination: Berberine is primarily excreted in the feces.

Common Side Effects To Watch For

European barberry is generally well tolerated when consumed in amounts commonly found in food. However, thorough evaluation of safety outcomes for larger, medicinal amounts has not been conducted.

Topically, European barberry seems to be well tolerated.

Are Supplements Standardized?

In general, there is insufficient reliable information about the standardization of European barberry. However, in some clinical trials, European barberry has been standardized to contain specific amounts of berberine in oral gel or root extract formulations.

Drugs that interact with European Barberry