Berberis vulgaris

Useful properties and application of decoctions and tinctures of barberry

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Berberis vulgaris

Berberis vulgaris – spiny and deciduous shrub of the barberry family, plant height does not exceed three meters. Shrub, strongly branched and has a strong surface root system. Old branches of the plants have gray bark, but the bark of young branches yellow-brown or yellowish-gray color. Branches of barberry slim, come with simple spines, and can meet the barberry Bush with three-parted spines (in their axils have buds).

From the kidneys there are small branches, which have leaves. The leaves of the plant are oblong, on the edges of the leaves are prickly cilia. Barberry flowers emit a strong fragrance, flower color is light yellow. Flowers in the amount of 15-25 gathered in drooping axillary racemes.

The barberry fruit is a berry with a deep red color. The berry is very juicy, has few seeds. The weight of the fruit of the barberry does not exceed 4 grams. Seeds are dark brown in color, have a flattened shape, wrinkles.

Barberry flowering begins in may and lasts until June. Ripening occurs from July to October.

Since ancient times, in Babylon and India the barberry was used as a medicine. The plant purifies the blood. While barberry has helped with the scurvy, jaundice.

Useful properties of barberry

Fruits, leaves, roots and bark of barberry is part of the plant used for preparing medicines.

The barberry contains berberine a substance, making medicinal preparations of this plant have a choleretic effect.

In the roots of plants contain various alkaloids, carotene, tannins, vitamin C, vitamin E and organic acids. Therefore a decoction of the root is used as a means for rinsing and lotions for various diseases.

Barberry has anti-inflammatory, diuretic, astringent, antimicrobial action, and also stop different bleeding.

Drugs, prepared on the basis of barberry used in the following diseases:
– diseases of the liver;
– ulcer of the stomach;
– duodenal ulcer;
–tuberculosis;
– bleeding of the uterus;
– inflammation of the upper respiratory tract; morphinism;
– tumors in various organs.

Caring for a barberry

Afterplanting should immediately do the mulching. When the date of planting will be the year, need to start feeding the soil. In the spring, you need to vestiti nitrogen fertilizer. In the future, once in three to four years doing top dressing fertilizer. In addition to nitrogen, you need to make complex fertilizers, e.g. fertilizer "Kemira universal".

Water the barberry is necessary every 7 days. The plant needs regular cultivation and weeding. With the appearance of immature and weak shoots cut them. In the spring you need to do clean the old stems of shrubs (weak and thin should be cut off).

If the barberry was planted as hedges, in the second year after planting, pruning is necessary to make: cut 50-70% of the aerial parts of the plant. In later years crop is produced twice a year, namely the first time – at the beginning of June and second time in early August. Barbarisi low height do not need a haircut, therefore it is often used to divide a garden into separate zones.

Propagation of Berberis vulgaris

Barberry propagated by root suckers, seed, summer cuttings and division of plants.

Once collected the fruits, they must squeeze, and then pass through a sieve, rinse and dry a bit. After all these previous operations, you can plant seeds in the grooves, the depth of which is equal to 1, see Best time for sowing is autumn. If you have decided to sow seeds in the spring, before sowing they need to be stratified for two to five months in a room with a temperature of 2-5 degrees. Seeds germinate almost everything, only 5% of the sowing can not ascend. The land on which we planted seeds should be fertile and friable. As soon as the first two true leaves, the seedlings should be thinned. The distance between the left seedlings must be at least 30 mm. In two years it is better to grow seedlings, not transplanting them to another place.

In this method you need to cut semilignified branches year of planting and plant them. Next, cut the cuttings, the length of each should not be more than 10 cm Slice you need to do so from the bottom node was 2-3 cm to cut, all sheets should be cut.

Cuttings root in a greenhouse of small size or in a box with no bottom. The soil is prepared in advance. 50 % of the soil should consist of sand and top soil need to pour the sand layer, which is 2-3 cm (the layer of sand to be mixed with charcoal).

Further to a depth of 1-2 cm cuttings are planted in the soil. The ends of the cuttings shall be in contact only with the layer of sand. On top of the greenhouse or on the box you need to lay the film orto install glass it is necessary to ensure that the location for grafting supported by high humidity.

National treatment with barberry

In folk medicine, often use preparations of barberry in the presence of internal bleeding in the postpartum period, as well as in diabetes. A couple of years ago revealed one more action of preparations of barberry: plant increases the spleen from patients with malaria (malarial Plasmodium wykonawca berberine in the blood).

In homeopathy with medicines from barberry to treat liver disease, urinary tract and kidneys.

All organs of the plant contain alkaloids, the main value of which is given to the berberine. This substance lowers blood pressure, calms, reduces the frequency of contractions of the heart. Berberine and barberry tincture on alcohol is used in cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and chronic hepatitis (berberine expels bile from the body).

Recipes from barberry

Take 20 grams of dried leaves of barberry and pour 50 ml of alcohol (70%). The composition is infused for about two weeks in a warm room. Tincture will be ready to use when it is dark yellow. And the taste of the tincture should be slightly kislotami.

For its preparation you need to take 15-20 grams of dry powdered leaves of the barberry, pour 200 ml of water and put on fire, bring to a boil. Then 15 minutes to cook on a medium heat, remove from heat and insist for 40 minutes, filtered and diluted with boiled water until the volume reaches the original. This decoction is taken 3 times daily 1 tablespoon. This decoction helps with peptic ulcer disease and nausea.

You need to take 30-40 grams of the crushed fruits of the plant and pour them a glass of water. Boil this composition should be about half an hour. After boiling, strain the remedy and dilute with boiling water to the original volume. This decoction should be taken 3 times a day before meals with 50 ml or half a Cup. Use it as a choleretic and antipyretic.

To prepare this infusion you need to take half a teaspoon of dried crushed roots and pour a glass of water, then put on fire and boil for half an hour, and then strain and cool. Further, as other infusions and decoctions, the product should be diluted with water to obtain the original volume. Drinking this decoction every day for 3 times a single dose is 1 teaspoon. The same decoction can be taken with pleurisy or bronchitis.

Take 20 grams of leaves of barberry and pour half Cup40% alcohol (vodka will also work). Leave to infuse for 14 days. After that the contents need to press and strain. Take a tincture three times a day for 25-30 drops at a time. The course of treatment is 14-20 days. Store this tincture should Bank in a dark, dark place. Tincture helps with diseases of the kidneys, liver, hepatitis, and cholelithiasis.

Contraindications to the use of barberry

Preparations of barberry should not be taken during the bleeding if the patient women are not completely separated placenta from the uterine wall.

During pregnancy barberry is contraindicated.

Green berries of the barberry cannot be used, since they contain poison.