Scientific Name Berberis aristata
Family Berberidaceae
Used Part Gum
Distribution Area It is found in Nepal.
Common Uses . It is one of the chief sources of the drug (rasaut ) sold in the Indian market. The acidic flower buds are made into a sauce. The plant is an emmenagogue and is useful in the treatment of jaundice, enlargement of spleen, etc. The fresh berries are laxative and antiscorbutic and useful in piles, sores and eye diseases, particularly conjunctivitis. Mixed with the bark of Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm. and honey, they are prescribed in leucorrhoea. A decoction is used as mouth-wash for treating swollen gums and toothache.
The plant extracts are being used as ingredients in the following indigenous drugs (i) herbal antiseptic cream, `Herbinol' for treatment of burns and wounds (ii) herbomineral composition, `Resottamadilepa' for skin diseases (iii) multiingredient herbal product `Leucosol-H' for leucorrhoea (iv) formulation, `IHP-250C' as anticoccidial against Eimeria tenella infection of broiler chicks.
Rootbark is very useful in periodic neuralgia and menorrhagia. Decoction of roots is used for skin troubles and in blood purification.
Similar crude drugs B. asiatica Roxb. ex DC
Pharmacological Effect The leaves are reported to be used in hepato-biliary disorders. A methanolic extract of leaves has been found beneficial in induced liver injury. The berries alongwith some other plant based ingredients have shown hypocholestrolaemic effects in rabbits.
