Barberry – Health Benefits, Uses, Research, Preparation, Precautions

How to Prepare Barberry for Medicinal Use

I recommend that barberry root bark be prepared as a tincture, as the root bark is very bitter. Barberry root bark and berries may be prepared as a decoction, but it is not palatable to most individuals. The herb is available individually, or in combination products including capsules, extracts, and tablets.

Barberry leaves are prepared as an infusion. To prepare barberry leaves as an infusion, place one teaspoonful of dried or one tablespoonful of fresh leaves in a cup. Add one cup of boiling water. Cover the cup. Let it infuse for twenty minutes. Strain out the solids. Drink 1 cup of the infusion 1-3 times each day. If using the tea internally, it should be consumed warm or hot.

A barberry root or berry decoction is made by simmering the one teaspoonful of the herb in 250 ml of water for ten minutes, covered. Remove the pot from the stove. Let the herb infuse for an additional forty-five minutes. Strain out and compost the spent herb. Drink 120 ml of the tea four times each day.

For topical use, prepare the infusion or decoction as directed above. Apply the cooled infusion or decoction directly to the skin.

If you use a barberry root tincture or extract, take 2-4 milliliters of a 1:5, 45% alcohol, extract four times daily.

If using capsules or tablets, ingest 1-2 grams twice daily.

Precautions

At normal doses, barberry is well tolerated by most people. At high doses, barberry may cause dizziness, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, skin irritation, eye irritation, loose stools, gastrointestinal discomfort, and inflammation of the kidneys. Do not use barberry during pregnancy as it may stimulate uterine contractions.

References

Duke, J.A, and Foster, S. Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. New York, USA. 2014

Kuhn, M.A. and Winston, D. Herbal Therapy and Supplements. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.2001

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in 2015 by Patricia Bratianu RN PhD RH-AHG. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse for almost forty years in a wide variety of settings. As a Registered Nurse, she realized that conventional healthcare was not meeting the needs of all patients. She became an herbalist and obtained a PhD in Natural Health. Patricia is a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, passing the stringent peer reviewed process to become a Registered Herbalist.

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