Berberis nepalensis Spreng.

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 32

Berberis nepalensis Spreng.

Names.

Myanmar: khaing-shwe-wa, khine-shwe-war. English: mahonia.

Range.

Eastern Asia. Cultivated in Myanmar.

Use.

Fruit: Berries used as diuretic.

Notes.

In India the fruit is employed as a diuretic and demulcent, also edible; the root "extract yields a product ‘rasaut’ with the same properties as Berberis ." ( Jain and DeFilipps 1991). A decoction of the bark is used for eyedrops to treat inflammation of the eyes ( Manandhar and Manandhar 2002). The fruit is used in the treatment of dysentery ( Chopra et al. 1986).

Berberine, present in the rhizomes, has been shown to have a marked antibacterial effect and is used as a bitter tonic. It is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery. Berberine has also been shown to have antitumor activity ( Duke and Ayensu 1985).

Reference.

Nordal (1963).