Barberry - the benefits and harm to human health

The natural origin of the barberry is a fruiting shrub, on which red elongated berries are clearly visible. To taste, the fruits remind everyone the well-known sucking candies of the same name. For this sour taste many people and fell in love with the barberry. It simultaneously refreshes and gives a good mood. Useful and harmful qualities of the berries have been studied repeatedly, we will talk about them today.

The composition of the barberry

Alkaloid compounds occupy an honorable place. The most valuable of these substances is berberine. It has choleretic properties, which facilitates the work of the liver and gallbladder.

In addition to berberine, the berry concentrates no less useful compounds, such as barberubin, leontin, palmatin, iatroricin, columbamine, oxyacanthin.

The shrub is not deprived of organic acids, the most valuable are the following: malic, tartaric, and citric. Barberry also includes a lot of vitamin C, tocopherol, retinol.

A special place is given to pectin, carotene, tannins, natural saccharides (presented in the form of glucose, fructose). The composition contains essential oils with antiseptic properties.

The action and benefits of barberry

Such an extensive list of useful substances gives the plant properties that can cure various ailments.

Among the actions are the following:

• immunostimulating;
• anti-cancer;
• sedatives;
• choleretic;
• diuretic;
• antiseptic;
• anti-inflammatory, etc.

It is interesting that not only the fruits of the plant, but also its leaves with bark bear the benefit. Tincture based on them is often used by folk healers to treat jaundice and other complex diseases of this type.

If you make an infusion of foliage and fruits, you can cool your appetite and normalize the activity of the digestive system.

It is known that the foliage of barberry has a pronounced hemostatic effect. It is for this reason that the plant is used for bleeding when there are no drugs nearby.

The use of barberry in traditional medicine

Folk healers use barberry to eliminate many problems associated with vital organs and systems of the body. In addition, the plant is recognized by traditional medicine as a powerful tool. On the basis of the barberry, medical preparations are prepared, such as Cholelitin, Berberine biosulfate, etc.

Barberry berries effectively cope with the following diseases:

• tuberculosis;
• cholecystitis;
• enteritis;
• hepatitis;
• biliary dyskinesia;
• gallstone disease;
• painful menstruation;
• migraine;
• inflammatory processes;
• fever;
• colds;
• prostatitis;
• cystitis;
• pyelonephritis;
• urethritis;
• neuralgic disorders;
• depressed state;
• neurosis;
• apathy;
• oncology of the lungs, larynx, liver, stomach;
• slagging and intoxication of the body.

House healers make decoctions, infusions and lotions of herbal teas, combining barberries with other plants. Such remedies are used to treat painful cramps, nausea and vomiting.

The use of barberry for women

1. Useful qualities of a plant are rooted in his ability to save beautiful ladies from cosmetic defects. So, the barberry will easily remove the dull color of the skin, even out the relief of the face and clean the pores.
2. Broths of berries and leaves are effective for muscle cramps that appear during menstruation. Also, the barberry cleans the blood, improves its quality, opens and frees blood vessels from cholesterol.
3. Berry-based tea is used for weight loss. Drink contributes to increased metabolism and the breakdown of body fat. In gynecology, fruits are used to stop uterine bleeding.

The use of barberry for men

1. The extract from the barberry is actively used in healing remedies for prostatitis. The plant is famous for its disinfecting properties. In folk medicine, the berries have shown themselves to improve male power.
2. For the treatment of impotence is often prepared special broths from the fruit of barberry, lemongrass, rosehip and a few more herbs. The healing composition must be drunk for 1 month.
3. Ripe fruit perfectly restores strength when playing sports. Barberry promotes rapid healing of various injuries.

The benefits and harm of barberry during pregnancy

1. The consumption of barberry during gestation should be strictly limited, consult in advance with a specialist. Otherwise, you run the risk of a number of problems.
2. Fruit consumption is allowed in the form of jam, seasonings and compotes. Fresh barberry contains a high concentration of alkaloids. Active substances can cause miscarriage due to uterine contraction.
3. In addition, ripe fruits have a strong disinfecting effect, which can damage the baby inside the womb. If we talk about the beneficial qualities, the decoction of dry berries will prevent toxicosis and stabilize high blood pressure.
4. Also, the drink will help to cope with strong edema and normalize the water-salt balance in the body. In other cases, any pharmaceutical means and tinctures based on the plant are absolutely contraindicated for pregnant girls.

The use of barberry for weight loss

1. Nutritionists recommend including ripe barberries for people who want to say goodbye to extra pounds. Fruits have a valuable composition that helps with excess weight. Regularly drink barberry tea to eliminate the problem.
2. Drinks dull appetite, as a result, portions of food will significantly decrease. After some time, you begin to lose pounds without stress for the body. Consider, the plant should not be associated with the composition of all troubles.
3. To achieve the desired result, it is important not only to stick to a diet, but also to actively engage in sports. It is also worth cardinally changing the way of life in order to always remain slim and beautiful. Calorie barberry is only 34 Kcal per 100 grams.

Harm of barberry

1. It is worth noting that at the moment the therapeutic properties of barberry are not fully understood, these same research concerns and harm. Therefore, in order not to run into problems, it is important to follow simple rules and follow the daily rate.
2. It is allowed to consume only ripe berries. In immature specimens there is a high concentration of alkaloids.The substance itself is toxic and can cause serious poisoning.
3. Barberry - an allergenic product, so children need to give it with extreme caution and only from 4 years. You must also be careful during pregnancy and allergic reactions. The active composition can be harmful in case of liver disease.

In view of the special chemical list of elements, the barberry is beneficial to the human body. Berries and leaves are struggling with many diseases, are used in weight loss and the diet of adults. But in order to extract all the value, it is necessary to exclude contraindications in advance.

Video: useful properties and the use of decoctions and tinctures of barberry