Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

Among Uygur communities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, people brew a mild infusion of fresh or dried Berberis heteropoda leaves for colds, feverish chills, and minor stomach upsets (Zhang et al., 2018). Kazakh households in eastern Kazakhstan and the Altai sometimes take a leaf tea for digestive ease and cough, and the same decoction has been reported for fever and liver discomfort (Karakulov & Mukhamedov, 2012). In parts of Mongolia, herbalists use a decoction of the species’ roots for acute stomach complaints, diarrhea, and fever, and a poultice of ground leaves is applied to ulcers or infected wounds (Jamyan, 2014). A practical recipe for the Uygur-style mild leaf tea is simple: steep 2 g of fresh, chopped leaves (or 1 g of dried) in 200 ml of freshly boiled water for 10–12 minutes, then strain and drink 1–2 cups daily until symptoms ease. Because barberry roots and bark are strongly bitter and concentrated in berberine-type alkaloids, a gentler method—1 g dried root bark in 250 ml of cold water brought to a simmer for 20 minutes, strained—can be used for acute digestive upset if a decoction is preferred. Do not exceed recommended dosages; barberry is not suitable in pregnancy and should be avoided if breastfeeding. Modern phytochemistry confirms that Berberis heteropoda contains well-documented isoquinoline alkaloids such as berberine, palmatine, columbamine, and jatrorrhizine, which plausibly underlie the plant’s traditional gastrointestinal and antimicrobial uses (Zhang et al., 2018; Jia et al., 2021). Today, barberry tea and the dried roots are available in regional markets and through specialty herbal suppliers, and laboratory studies continue to explore the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of these alkaloids (Jia et al., 2021).

General Uses Top

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Common products:
Alkaloid-rich extracts from the roots and stems are used in research as sources of berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid widely employed in analytical chemistry and molecular biology.

Industrial and craft applications:
No documented industrial or craft applications have been reported for this species.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No food, beverage, or ingredient uses are documented for this species.

Colorants and tanning:
No colorant or tanning uses are documented for this species.

Wood and fiber:
No wood, fiber, or timber uses are documented for this species.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
No fragrance, cosmetic, or perfumery uses are documented for this species.

Properties relevant to use:
The relevance of extracts is primarily linked to the presence of berberine and related isoquinoline alkaloids, rather than to industrial properties such as fiber length, wood density, or oil composition.

Standards and regulation:
Plant material traded for analytical purposes typically follows general quality-control conventions; specific national or international standards are not documented for this taxon.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Populations are wild-collected; no conservation assessments or sustainable-harvest protocols are documented for this species.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Berberis heteropoda var. sphaerocarpa	(Kar. & Kir.) Ahrendt	J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 57: 227 1961
Berberis sphaerocarpa	Kar. & Kir.	Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 14: 376 (1841)

Common names Top

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Filter by language:

Language	Common/alternative name
Azerbaijani	müxtəlifayaq zirinc
Kazakh	Дөңгелек жемісті бөріқарақат
Russian	Барбарис разноцветоножковый
Turkish	karamuk
Chinese	山李子
Chinese	刺黄柏叶
Chinese	小檗实
Chinese	小檗浸膏
Chinese	异果小檗
Chinese	异果小檗(黑果小檗）
Chinese	黑果小檗

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:

- Doubtful data

- Extinct

- Introduced

- Native

Asia-temperate click to expand
- China
  - Xinjiang
- Middle Asia
  - Kazakhstan
  - Kirgizstan
  - Tadzhikistan
- Mongolia
  - Mongolia

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!

Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000563267
Tropicos	3500310
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:106735-1
The Plant List	kew-2673890
Open Tree Of Life	5727764
NCBI Taxonomy	1433312
IPNI	106735-1
GBIF	3980845
EPPO	BEBHP
USDA GRIN	6873

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.

Title

Authors

Publication

Released

IDs

Pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes malicola

Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Antonatos S, Kertesz V, Papachristos D, Sfyra O, MacLeod A

EFSA J

27-Mar-2024

PMCID:	PMC10966764
doi:	10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8665
PMID:	38544739

Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Anti-Lipoxygenase Activity of Berberis vulgaris L. Leaves, Fruits, and Stem and Their LC MS/MS Polyphenolic Profile

Och A, Olech M, Bąk K, Kanak S, Cwener A, Cieśla M, Nowak R

Antioxidants (Basel)

21-Jul-2023

PMCID:	PMC10376855
doi:	10.3390/antiox12071467
PMID:	37508005

Forest stand factors determine the rainfall pattern of crown allocation of Picea schrenkiana in the northern slope of Mount Bogda, Tianshan Range, China

Zhao S, Zheng XJ, Yin L, Wang Y

Front Plant Sci

31-Jan-2023

PMCID:	PMC9927214
doi:	10.3389/fpls.2022.1113354
PMID:	36798804

Phylogeny and taxonomy of Erysiphe berberidis (s. lat.) revisited

Liu L, Bradshaw M, Braun U, Götz M, Khodaparast SA, Liu TZ, Bulgakov TS, Darsaraei H, Hofbauer WK, Li Y, Liu SY

Mycoscience

30-Sep-2022

PMCID:	PMC10042313
doi:	10.47371/mycosci.2022.07.00
PMID:	37090198

Nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of the fruit of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk

Sun J, Li Q, Li J, Liu J, Xu F

PLoS One

07-Apr-2022

PMCID:	PMC8989241
doi:	10.1371/journal.pone.0262622
PMID:	35390002

Distribution of Therapeutic Efficacy of Ranunculales Plants Used by Ethnic Minorities on the Phylogenetic Tree of Chinese Species

Hao DC, Zhang Y, He CN, Xiao PG

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med

12-Jan-2022

PMCID:	PMC8769838
doi:	10.1155/2022/9027727
PMID:	35069772

Berberine: Botanical Occurrence, Traditional Uses, Extraction Methods, and Relevance in Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Hepatic, and Renal Disorders

Neag MA, Mocan A, Echeverría J, Pop RM, Bocsan CI, Crişan G, Buzoianu AD

Front Pharmacol

21-Aug-2018

PMCID:	PMC6111450
doi:	10.3389/fphar.2018.00557
PMID:	30186157

Composition and Antioxidant Activity of the Anthocyanins of the Fruit of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk

Sun LL, Gao W, Zhang MM, Li C, Wang AG, Su YL, Ji TF

Molecules

19-Nov-2014

PMCID:	PMC6271762
doi:	10.3390/molecules191119078
PMID:	25415473

Über die Alkaloide von Berberis heteropoda

A. Orechoff

Wiley

15-Oct-2006

doi:	10.1002/ARDP.19332710603

Berberis alkaloids. XVII. Investigation of the alkaloids of Berberis heteropoda

M. M. Yusupov, A. Karimov, M. G. Levkovich, N. D. Abdullaev, R. Shakirov

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

10-Dec-2004

doi:	10.1007/BF00631012

Berberis alkaloids XIII. An investigation of the alkaloids of Berberis heteropoda

A. Karimov, A. B. Butayarov, M. M. Yusupov, R. T. Mirzamatov, R. Sh. Shakirov

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

10-Dec-2004

doi:	10.1007/BF00630680

Berberis alkaloids. XVI. Structure of berpodine

A. Karimov, N. D. Abdullaev, R. Shakirov

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

26-Nov-2004

doi:	10.1007/BF00630120

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.

Name	PubChem ID	Canonical SMILES	MW	Found in	Proof
> Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines
(+)-Glaucine	16754	Click to see	355.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680
(+)-Magnoflorine	73337	Click to see	342.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Thaliporphine	100020	Click to see	341.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
> Alkaloids and derivatives / Protoberberine alkaloids and derivatives
(1R,21R)-21-[[(1R,14S,21R)-1,21-dihydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-yl]oxy]-21-hydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-one	162982331	Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C(C3(C4=CC5=C(C=C4CCN3C2OC6(C7C8=CC9=C(C=C8CCN7C(=O)C1=C6C=CC(=C1OC)OC)OCO9)O)OCO5)O)O)OC	754.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
21-[(1,21-Dihydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-yl)oxy]-1-hydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-one	163192687	Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C(C3(C4=CC5=C(C=C4CCN3C2OC6C7=C(C(=C(C=C7)OC)OC)C(=O)N8C6(C9=CC1=C(C=C9CC8)OCO1)O)OCO5)O)O)OC	754.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
21-[(1,21-Dihydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-yl)oxy]-21-hydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-5,7-dioxa-13-azapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,8.015,20]henicosa-2,4(8),9,15(20),16,18-hexaen-14-one	21627931	Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C(C3(C4=CC5=C(C=C4CCN3C2OC6(C7C8=CC9=C(C=C8CCN7C(=O)C1=C6C=CC(=C1OC)OC)OCO9)O)OCO5)O)O)OC	754.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
Berberine	2353	Click to see	336.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Canadine	34458	Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(CC3C4=CC5=C(C=C4CCN3C2)OCO5)C=C1)OC	339.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680
Columbamine	72310	Click to see	338.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Pseudopalmatine	644002	Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)CC[N+]3=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4C=C23)OC)OC)OC	352.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds
(1S,14R)-20,21,25-trimethoxy-15,30-dimethyl-8,23-dioxa-15,30-diazaheptacyclo[22.6.2.29,12.13,7.114,18.027,31.022,33]hexatriaconta-3(36),4,6,9(35),10,12(34),18,20,22(33),24,26,31-dodecaen-6-ol	5320345	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C3=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=CC(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)O3)O)OC)OC	608.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680
1-Isotetrandrine	5351212	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C3C=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=C(O3)C(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)OC)OC)OC	622.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
20,21,25-Trimethoxy-15,30-dimethyl-7,23-dioxa-15,30-diazaheptacyclo(22.6.2.23,6.18,12.114,18.027,31.022,33)hexatriaconta-3(36),4,6(35),8,10,12(34),18,20,22(33),24,26,31-dodecaen-9-ol	10170	Click to see	608.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/ARDP.19332710603
6,6'-Dimethoxy-2,2'-dimethyloxyacanthan-7,12'-diol	122728	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C3=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=CC(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)O3)O)O)OC	594.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Aromoline	362574	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C3=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=CC(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)O3)O)O)OC	594.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Berbamine	275182	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C3C=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=C(O3)C(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)OC)O)OC	608.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/ARDP.19332710603
Oxyacanthine	442333	Click to see	608.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1002/ARDP.19332710603 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
Oxycanthine	371257	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C3=C2C1CC4=CC=C(C=C4)OC5=C(C=CC(=C5)CC6C7=CC(=C(C=C7CCN6C)OC)O3)O)OC)OC	608.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1002/ARDP.19332710603
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Isoquinolines and derivatives / Benzylisoquinolines
(1S)-1-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-2-ium-8-ol	173713	Click to see C[N+]1(CCC2=C(C1CC3=CC=C(C=C3)O)C(=C(C=C2)OC)O)C	314.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680
(1S)-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-1-((4-(2-hydroxy-5-(((1R)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-2-methyl-1-isoquinolinyl)methyl)phenoxy)phenyl)methyl)-6-methoxy-2-methyl-7-isoquinolinol	440585	Click to see	596.70	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120
(S)-Laudanosine	73397	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C=C2C1CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)OC)OC)OC)OC	357.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
1-((3-Hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)methyl)-6-methoxy-2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-7-ol	10233	Click to see	329.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Laudanosine	15548	Click to see CN1CCC2=CC(=C(C=C2C1CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)OC)OC)OC)OC	357.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Laudanosine, (R)-	978314	Click to see	357.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Reticuline	439653	Click to see	329.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630120 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00630680
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Isoquinolines and derivatives / Isoquinolones and derivatives
2,9,10-Trimethoxy-5,6-dihydroisoquinolino[2,1-b]isoquinolin-3-one	10065647	Click to see	337.40	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012
Oxyberberrubine	5384082	Click to see	337.30	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00631012

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Berberis heteropoda

Table of Contents

Details Top

Ethnobotanical Use Top

General Uses Top

Synonyms Top

Common names Top

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Germination/Propagation Top

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Links to other databases Top

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

Scientific Literature Top

Phytochemical Profile Top

Gallery Top

Contributors Top

Collections Top