Mokhber-Dezfuli Najmeh, Saeidnia Soodabeh, Gohari Ahmad Reza, Kurepaz-Mahmoodabadi Mahdieh
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P. O. Box 14155 - 6451, Tehran, Iran.
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P. O. Box 14155 - 6451, Tehran, Iran ; Division of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Pharmacogn Rev. 2014 Jan;8(15):8-15. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.125517.
The genus Berberis (Berberidaceae) includes about 500 species worldwide, some of which are widely cultivated in the north-eastern regions of Iran. This genus consists of spiny deciduous evergreen shrubs, characterized by yellow wood and flowers. The cultivation of seedless barberry in South Khorasan goes back to two hundred years ago. Medicinal properties for all parts of these plants have been reported, including: Antimicrobial, antiemetic, antipyretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmic, sedative, anti-cholinergic, cholagogic, anti-leishmaniasis, and anti-malaria. The main compounds found in various species of Berberis, are berberine and berbamine. Phytochemical analysis of various species of this genus revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, sterols and triterpenes. Although there are some review articles on Berberis vulgaris (as the most applied species), there is no review on the phytochemical and pharmacological activities of other well-known species of the genus Berberis. For this reason, the present review mainly focused on the diverse secondary metabolites of various species of this genus and the considerable pharmacological and biological activities together with a concise story of the botany and cultivation.
小檗属（小檗科）全球约有500个物种，其中一些在伊朗东北部广泛种植。该属由多刺的落叶或常绿灌木组成，其特征为黄色的木材和花朵。南呼罗珊无籽醋栗的种植可追溯到两百年前。据报道，这些植物的所有部位都具有药用特性，包括：抗菌、止吐、解热、抗氧化、抗炎、抗心律失常、镇静、抗胆碱能、利胆、抗利什曼病和抗疟疾。在小檗属的各种物种中发现的主要化合物是小檗碱和小檗胺。对该属各种物种的植物化学分析表明，存在生物碱、单宁、酚类化合物、甾醇和三萜类化合物。虽然有一些关于普通小檗（应用最广泛的物种）的综述文章，但尚无关于小檗属其他知名物种的植物化学和药理活性的综述。因此，本综述主要关注该属各种物种的多样次生代谢产物、显著的药理和生物学活性，以及关于植物学和栽培的简要介绍。
