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Desert Barberry              

Mahonia fremontii (Berberis fremontii)

Fremont barberry, Holly-grape

Mahonia haematocarpa (Berberis haematocarpa)

Red barberry

Mahonia trifoliata (Berberis trifoliata)

Algerita

Mahonia nevinii (Berberis nevinii)

Nevin’s barberry

Berberidaceae – Barberry family

Description

The species profiled here are large, spiny-leaved shrubs with 6-petaled yellow flowers, mostly juicy fruits, and deeply yellow inner roots.  Mahonia fremontii is often a large shrub, occasionally reaching 12-15 feet in height.  The stiff bluish-green leaves have 3-7 pinnately arranged, spined leaflets.  The developing fruits are yellow or sometimes red; at maturity they are bluish-black.  M. haematocarpa is a large many-branched shrub obtaining 12 feet in height.  Each leaf is comprised of 3-7 lanceolate leaflets with one terminating the group.  Its typical Barberry flowers are 6-petaled.  At maturity, the berries are pea-sized, red, and juicy.  M. trifoliata reaches 10 feet in height.  This dense shrub has stiff, grayish-blue, spined leaves that are composed of 3 leaflets.  After flowering, red, tart, and juicy fruits develop.  M. nevinii is also a large rounded shrub.  Although not as stiff as the others, the holly-like leaves are comprised of 3-5 spiny, lanceolate leaflets.  The yellow flowers form in loose racemes.  The fruits are yellowish-red to red and are succulent.

Distribution

Mahonia fremontii is found between 4,000-7,000 feet, mostly throughout Desert Grasslands and Juniper-Pinyon Woodlands; occasionally it is found lower in elevation in isolated pockets in southern California.  From these holdouts in California the plant is found east through southern Nevada, central-northern Arizona, Utah, Mesa and Delta Counties in Colorado, to the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico.  From 3,000-7,500 M. haematocarpa ranges from Arizona where the bulk of the plant practically cuts a diagonal swath across the state just below the Mogollon Rim.  It is also abundant throughout southeastern Arizona; from there the plant is distributed east to central-south New Mexico and finally to Trans-Pecos Texas.  The plant is commonly found in Desert Grasslands and in Oak Woodlands.

Mahonia trifoliata’s most expansive range is along the Pecos River Basin in New Mexico and south and east through most of western Texas.  The plant is prominent on hillsides and slopes overlooking drainages.  Below 2,000 feet in southern California M. nevinii is found in Coastal Sage and Chaparral Scrub habitats.  Look for the plant in arid sandy valleys.

Chemistry

(For Mahonia repens; other species are similar) isoquinoline alkaloids: oxyacanthine, berberine, columbamine, corydine, isocorydine, glaucine, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, obaberine, obamegine, palmatine, thaliporphine, and thalrugosine; lignan: syringaresinol

Medicinal Uses

Desert barberry is inhibiting to a wide array of pathogens.  The plant is broadly antibacterial and fungicidal.  Topically the salve or oil applied to infected cuts or wounds, as well as to various skin and nail fungi, will prove beneficial.  Internally the root tea or tincture is used as a systemic support for the same issues.  Its use is also indicated in bacterial or mold induced sinus infections and for sore/strep throat.  From its berberine content, Desert barberry is directly inhibiting to pathogenic gastrointestinal microbes and their harmful endotoxins.  Take the plant if suffering from food poisoning, Giardia infection, amebiasis, and other GI tract parasitic/microbial infections.  It combines well with Western mugwort.

As a functional bitter tonic, the tea or tincture is of use in indigestion.  Although not as direct in its effect here as Gentian or Swertia, Desert barberry stimulates hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen, bile, and succus entericus secretion facilitating food breakdown in the stomach and small intestine – some even may experience a laxative effect through the plant’s stimulation of these digestive secretions.  Like its close relative Oregon grape, the plant has an interesting effect on the skin and liver.  On both areas, although through diverging mechanisms, it diminishes inflammatory excesses.  Applied externally the oil or salve slows excessive cellular proliferation, turnover and lipid peroxidation making it valuable in treating psoriasis.  Internally the plant’s effect on the liver is cooling and protective.  It has been shown to normalize liver enzyme elevations, as well as other inflammatory markers associated with hepatitis and liver toxicity from environmental/dietary causes.  It is hepaprotective possibly through its influence on the liver’s cytochrome P450 pathway.  Traditionally Desert barberry was used for “bad blood” and like Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) and European Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) it is considered a classic alterative along with plants like Golden smoke, Stillingia, and Echinacea.  It is highly indicated in conditions where the skin is dry, red, and heals poorly, or for what were once called scrofulous conditions.

Moreover, Desert barberry is broadly antiinflammatory and is well used internally in febrile states; it tends to clear pyrogenic compounds within the body.  Broadly speaking the tea also has use in inflammatory conditions such as chronic allergies, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, and a range of others. 

Indications

Bacterial, fungal infections (internal and external)

Sinusitis/strep throat (internal and gargle)

Food poisoning/giardiasis/amebiasis

Indigestion with insufficient protein/fat digestion

Psoriasis (internal and external)

Hepatic inflammation, sluggishness

Fever/autoimmune inflammation

Collection

Leave the trowel and pruners behind; bring a man’s tools – a shovel and a pick.  Collectors are advised to wear a long sleeved shirt and pants to provide protection from the sharply spined leaves.  On larger plants, secondary rhizomes that are closer to the ground’s surface are collected; leave the main taproots, at least on older plants.  The entire taproot can be collected from smaller plants that have several stems rising from its root crown.  It is a hard plant to dig in compacted soils, but worth it.  Although not as high in berberine content, the leaves can be collected for oils and salves. 

Preparations

Cut the roots into ¼-½ inch sections before drying, otherwise, like Red root, unless you own an industrial wood chipper they will be worthless.  Because the roots are woody and lack substantial water content, unlike Oregon grape, the tea and dry plant tincture are the best preparations.

Dosage

Root decoction/cold infusion:2-4 ounces 3 times daily

DPT (50% alcohol): 20-60 drops 3 times daily

Cautions

Berberine can cause hemolysis in babies with G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase) deficiency.  Like other cholagogues do not use if there is a biliary blockage.

Other Uses

The fruits of Desert barberry can be used for jams and jellies, or can be eaten alone.