Berberis vulgaris (bark)

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AHPA recognizes other valuable resources exist regarding the identity of Berberis vulgaris.

To submit a suggestion or contribution, please contact Merle Zimmermann.

Contents

Nomenclature

Berberis vulgaris L.   Berberidaceae  
Standardized common name (English): barberry

Botanical Voucher Specimen

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Berberis vulgaris Tropicos 100187927.jpg
Berberis vulgaris - Tropicos.org (Ho, Ting-nung - 2502)
Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org[1]

Berberis vulgaris Tropicos 49790.jpg
Berberis vulgaris - Tropicos.org (Reed, Clyde Franklin - 91690)
Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org[2]

Berberis vulgaris Tropicos 49792.jpg
Berberis vulgaris - Tropicos.org (Walker, * - 694)
Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org[3]

Berberis vulgaris Kew imageBarcode=K000644796 275681.jpg
Source: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.[4]

Organoleptic Characteristics

Macroscopic Characteristics

Nepaul Barberry—Berberis vulgaris L. (Barberry).

B. vulgaris is a spreading shrub, from four to six feet or more in height, with thorny branches, a light gray bark and a fine yellow wood.

The berries of B. vulgaris, which grow in loose bunches, are oblong and of a red color, have a grateful, sour, astringent taste, and contain malic and citric acids.

The bark of the root is grayish on the outside, yellow within, very bitter, and stains the saliva when chewed. Brandes found in 100 parts of the root 6.63 of bitter, yellow extractive (impure berberine), 1.55 of brown coloring matter, 0.35 of gum, 0.20 of starch, 0.10 of cerin, 0.07 of stearin, 0.03 of chlorophyll, 0.55 of a sub-resin, 55.40 of lignin, and 35.00 of water.

Source: United States Dispensatory (1918) [5]

Microscopic Characteristics

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Barberry Bark Whole - Alkemist Laboratories.jpg
Sclerenchymatous bast fibers showing tapered ends observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[6]

Barberry Bark Whole-1 - Alkemist Laboratories.jpg
Prisms of Calcium oxalate observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[7]

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Supplementary Information

Sources

  1. MOBOT, Tropicos.org http://www.tropicos.org/Image/100187927
  2. MOBOT, Tropicos.org http://www.tropicos.org/Image/49790
  3. MOBOT, Tropicos.org http://www.tropicos.org/Image/49792
  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://specimens.kew.org/herbarium/K000644796
  5. United States Dispensatory (1918)
  6. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
  7. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
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