Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc) Maxim is a member of the Berberidaceae family of basal eudicot plants, widely distributed and used as a traditional medicinal plant in China for therapeutic effects on many diseases with a long history. Recent data shows that E. sagittatum has a relatively large genome, with a haploid genome size of ~4496 Mbp, divided into a small number of only 12 diploid c...

Berberis integerrima is a member of Berberidaceae family. Berberine is one of the main constituents of this plant, having neuroprotective effect on central nervous system diseases. In this study, the anticonvulsant activity of methanolic extract, and hydromethanolic fraction, and chloroform fraction of B integerrima was assessed. The anticonvulsant effect of B integerrima was investigated using...

The scientific evaluation of medicinal plants used in the preparation of folk remedies has provided modern medicine with effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases. The methanol extract of Berberis tinctoria Lesch (Berberidaceae) leaves was investigated for its hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects on paracetamol (750 mg/kg) induced acute liver damage in Wistar albino rats. Hepa...

Mahonia leschenaultia (ML) and Mahonia napaulensis (MN) are less known and unexplored medicinal plants of the family Berberidaceae. They are used by the Todas of Nilgiris in their religious and medical practices but chemically less identified. Hence, we decided to do extensive phytochemical analysis to explore the potential of these plant extracts. An ultrahigh performance electrospray tandem m...

Berberis aetnensis C. Presl (Berberidaceae) is a bushy-spiny shrub common on Mount Etna (Sicily). We demonstrated that the alkaloid extract of roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl contains prevalently berberine and berbamine, possesses antimicrobial properties, and was able to counteract the upregulation evoked by glutamate of tissue transglutaminase in primary rat astroglial cell cultures. Until now...

Berberis aristata DC (Berberidaceae) is used in Indian traditional medicine. The hepatoprotective activity of Berberis aristata stem bark suspension was studied using CCl4 overdose induced liver damage in rats. The activity was assessed by monitoring various liver functions testing enzymes viz, Serum Glutamate Pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), Serum...

INTRODUCTION Podophyllotoxin is the starting material for the semi-synthesis of the anti-cancer drugs etoposide, teniposide and etopophos. These compounds have been used for the treatment of lung and testicular cancers as well as certain leukemias. It is also the precursor to a new derivative CPH 82 that is being tested for rheumatoid arthritis in Europe, and it is the precursor to other deriva...