A review on ethnomedicinal and phytopharmacological potential of traditionally wild and endemic plant Berberis tinctoria Lesch

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Berberis tinctoria an evergreen shrub, endemic and predominantly found at a higher altitude of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India. This leaf and fruit are edible, which are also used in homeopathic remedies for countless illnesses. Objectives: B. tinctoria with diverse ethnomedicinal uses was focused in the prevailing study to detailed the phytochemical and pharmacological properties for further imminent research in this species. Materials and methods: Published data in this review were all gathered from the online bibliographical databases PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and local ethnic community peoples of Kurumba and Toda. Results: B. tinctoria was used as a Ayurvedic and homeopathy medicine by the tribal communities. The previous findings of B. tinctoria were used for skin diseases, wound healing, inflammatory, menorrhagia, diarrhea, jaundice, and a snakebites. The phytochemical studies revealed that secondary metabolites, antioxidants, and antimicrobial activity as a result of major alkaloid isoforms of berberine, berbamine, jatrorrhizine, etc. Conclusion: B. tinctoria is an important plant due to the presence of bioactive phytochemicals, especially berberine protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline. As a result of its diverse ethnopharmacological importance, as well as numerous commercial products and novel bioactive compounds yet to be discovered for future drug discovery and development.