Barberry - benefits and harm to human health

The natural origin of barberry is a fruiting shrub on which red oblong berries are clearly visible. To taste, the fruits remind everyone of the well-known sucking candies of the same name. For this sour taste, many people fell in love with barberry. It simultaneously refreshes and gives a good mood. The beneficial and harmful qualities of the berry have been studied repeatedly; we will talk about them today.

Barberry Composition

Alkaloid compounds take pride of place. The most valuable of these substances is considered to be berberine. It has choleretic properties, which makes the work of the liver and gall bladder easier.

In addition to berberine, the berry concentrates no less useful compounds, such as barberubin, leontin, palmatine, iatroricin, columbamine, oxyacanthin.

The bush is not deprived of organic acids, the following are considered the most valuable: apple, wine, lemon. Barberry also includes a lot of vitamin C, tocopherol, retinol.

A special place is given to pectin, carotene, tannins, natural saccharides (presented in the form of glucose, fructose). The composition contains essential oils with antiseptic properties.

The action and benefits of barberry

Such an extensive list of useful substances gives the plant properties that can cure various ailments.

Among the actions distinguish the following:

• immunostimulatory;
• anti-cancer;
• sedative;
• choleretic;
• diuretic;
• antiseptic;
• anti-inflammatory, etc.

Interestingly, the benefits are not only the fruits of the plant, but also its leaves with bark. Tincture based on them is often used by traditional healers to treat jaundice and other complex diseases of this type.

If you prepare an infusion of foliage and fruits, you can cool your appetite and normalize the digestive system.

It is known that barberry foliage has a pronounced hemostatic effect. It is for this reason that the plant is used for bleeding when there are no medications nearby.

The use of barberry in traditional medicine

Traditional healers use barberry to eliminate many problems associated with vital organs and systems of the body. In addition, the plant is recognized by traditional medicine as a powerful tool. Medicines, such as Cholelitin, Berberina Biosulfate, etc., are prepared on the basis of barberry.

Berries of barberry effectively cope with the following diseases:

• tuberculosis;
• cholecystitis;
• enteritis;
• hepatitis;
• biliary dyskinesia;
• gallstone disease;
• painful menstruation;
• migraine;
• inflammatory processes;
• fever;
• colds;
• prostatitis;
• cystitis;
• pyelonephritis;
• urethritis;
• neuralgic disorders;
• depressive state;
• neurosis;
• apathy;
• oncology of the lungs, larynx, liver, stomach;
• slagging and intoxication of the body.

Home healers make decoctions, infusions, and lotions from phyto-collections, combining barberry with other plants. Such drugs are used to treat painful cramps, nausea and vomiting.

The benefits of barberry for women

1. Useful qualities of the plant lie in its ability to rid beautiful ladies of cosmetic defects.So, barberry easily removes dull skin color, evens out the face and cleanses the pores.
2. Decoctions of berries and leaves are effective for muscle cramps that appear during menstruation. Barberry also cleanses the blood, improves its quality, opens and releases blood vessels from cholesterol.
3. Berry-based tea is used for weight loss. The drink enhances metabolism and breakdown of body fat. In gynecology, fruits are used to stop uterine bleeding.

The benefits of barberry for men

1. Extract from barberry is actively used in medicinal products against prostatitis. The plant is famous for its disinfecting property. In folk medicine, berries have shown themselves well to enhance masculine strength.
2. For the treatment of impotence, special decoctions are often prepared from the fruits of barberry, lemongrass, rose hips and several more herbs. The healing composition must be drunk for 1 month.
3. Ripe fruits perfectly restore strength when playing sports. Barberry contributes to the rapid healing of various injuries.

The benefits and harms of barberry during pregnancy

1. Barberry consumption during gestation should be strictly limited; consult with a specialist in advance. Otherwise, you run the risk of encountering a number of problems.
2. Fruit consumption is permitted in the form of preserves, seasonings and stewed fruit. Fresh barberry contains a high concentration of alkaloids. Active substances can cause miscarriage due to uterine contractions.
3. In addition, ripe fruits have a strong disinfecting effect, which can harm the baby inside the womb. If we talk about the beneficial qualities, then a decoction of dried berries will prevent toxicosis and stabilize high blood pressure.
4. Also, the drink will help cope with severe edema and normalize the water-salt balance in the body. In other cases, any pharmacy products and tinctures based on the plant are strictly contraindicated for pregnant girls.

The benefits of barberry for weight loss

1. Nutritionists recommend including ripe barberry for people who want to say goodbye to extra pounds. Fruits have a valuable composition that helps with overweight. Drink barberry tea regularly to fix the problem.
2. The drink dulls the appetite, as a result, portions of food will be significantly reduced. After some time, you will begin to lose kilograms without stress for the body. Keep in mind that your plant should not be associated with the composition of all ills.
3. To achieve the desired result, it is important not only to adhere to a diet, but also to actively engage in sports. It is also worth radically changing your lifestyle in order to always remain slim and beautiful. Calorie barberry is only 34 Kcal per 100 g.

Harm barberry

1. It is worth noting that at the moment, the medicinal properties of barberry are not fully understood, these same studies concern harm. Therefore, in order not to encounter problems, it is important to adhere to simple rules and comply with the daily rate.
2. Only ripe berries are allowed. In immature specimens, a high concentration of alkaloids is present. The substance itself is toxic and can cause serious poisoning.
3. Barberry is an allergenic product, so children need to be given it with extreme caution and only from 4 years old. It is also necessary to be careful during pregnancy and allergic reactions. The active compound can be harmful in liver disease.

Due to the special chemical list of elements, barberry benefits the human body. Berries and leaves fight many diseases, are used in weight loss and the diet of adults. But in order to extract all the value, it is necessary to exclude contraindications in advance.

Video: useful properties and application of decoctions and tinctures of barberry