Berberis thunbergii

Japanese barberry

Berberis thunrBergii, commonly known as Indian Barberry, is a deciduous shrub prized in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Renowned for its high berberine content, this plant offers potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It is widely used to support metabolic health, improve digestion, and treat various skin and liver ailments.

  • Scientific name: Berberis thunbergii
  • Family: Berberidaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Ranunculales and the family Berberidaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Berberis.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Ranunculales WCVP
Family Berberidaceae WCVP
Genus Berberis WCVP

Common Names

This plant, scientifically known as Berberis thunbergii, is recognized by several common names across different linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans, zh-cn, zh-sg), it is referred to as 日本小檗, while in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant, zh-hk), the name remains 日本小檗.
Language Common Name Source
zh-hans 日本小檗 Wikidata
zh-hant 日本小檗 Wikidata
zh-hk 日本小檗 Wikidata
zh-cn 日本小檗 Wikidata
zh-sg 日本小檗 Wikidata
zh-tw 日本小檗 Wikidata
pl Berberys Thunberga Wikidata
ru Барбарис Тунберга Wikidata
fi japaninhappomarja Wikidata
de Thunberg-Berberitze Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Denmark and Finland. Additionally, its presence extends to the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The species is also documented to inhabit the landscapes of Norway. Together, these locations define its primary range throughout the northern part of the continent.

Region Area Source
Northern Europe Denmark WCVP
Northern Europe Finland WCVP
Northern Europe Great Britain WCVP
Northern Europe Ireland WCVP
Northern Europe Norway WCVP
Northern Europe Sweden WCVP
Middle Europe Austria WCVP
Middle Europe Czechia-Slovakia WCVP
Middle Europe Germany WCVP
Middle Europe Poland WCVP

Chemicals

Berberis thunbergii has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include berbamine, sanguinarine.

Total chemicals
2
Scientific sources
2

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
berbamine 1 ★☆☆☆☆
sanguinarine 1 ★☆☆☆☆