Barberry, Goldenseal, Oregan grape and Goldenthread contains berberine, a powerful antimicrobial. - GreenMedInfo Summary
In vitro anti-hepatoma activity of fifteen natural medicines from Canada.
1: Altern Med Rev. 2000 Apr;5(2):175-7. PMID: 12203264
Berberine is a plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It is present in Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Coptis chinensis (Coptis or goldenthread), Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), and Berberis aristata (tree turmeric). The berberine alkaloid can be found in the roots, rhizomes, and stem bark of the plants. Berberine extracts and decoctions have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths, and chlamydia. Currently, the predominant clinical uses of berberine include bacterial diarrhea, intestinal parasite infections, and ocular trachoma infections.