• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2007

Berberis tinctoria (Berberidaceae), commonly known as Nilgiri Barberry is a common allied species to B. aristata, used in India Traditional Systems of Medicine by the name of 'Daruharidra' for skin disease, jaundice, affection of eyes, and rheumatism. Keeping this in view, in the present study attempts have been made to identify marker characters of B. tinctoria. Some of the diagnostic features of the root are patches of pericyclic fibre, pitted sclerieds, crystals, berberine containing cells and heterocyclic medullary rays. Besides, the physicochemical characters such as total ash; acid insoluble ash; alcohol and water soluble extractive; tannins; sugar and starch percentages has also shown some variations. The percentage of berberine as berberine hydrochloride was also calculated through HPTLC densitometric method and it was found almost similar to B. aristata, B. asiatica and B. chitria i.e. 3.36%. Thus it can be explored as a possible source of substitute to B.aristata.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2006

The present study was carried out to investigate the antidiabetic and antioxidant effect of methanolic extract of Berberis tinctoria leaves (MEBT), in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of MEBT extract (150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) for a period of 14 days. Blood glucose levels, body weight food and liquid intake were measured on every $5^{th}$ day over a period of 14 days. In diabetic rats, MEBT at the dose of 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg body weight resulted in significant reduction in blood glucose levels. The study was further investigated to determine antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic potential of MEBT in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. These results suggest that the MEBT possess antidiabetic activity and is able to ameliorate biochemical damages in STZ induced diabetic rats and the results were found to be in a dose dependent manner.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2006

The methanol extracts of the roots, root bark and stem of Berberis tinctoria, were investigated for their hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride $(CCl_4)$ induced toxicity in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, HEp-G2 cells and animal models. The methanol extracts were able to significantly normalise the levels of aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, total proteins, albumin, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin, which were altered due to $CCl_4$ intoxication in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and also in animal models. The anti-hepatotoxic effect of the methanol extracts in vitro were observed at $600\;-\;1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentrations. A dose dependent increase in the percentage viability was observed when $CCl_4$ exposed HEp-G2 cells were treated with different concentrations of the methanol extracts. The highest percentage viability of HEp-G2 was observed at a concentration of $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results from the present investigations also indicate good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro studies.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.251-254
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• 2003

To control the spread of surface fire in the rangelands and to check the entry of fire into forest systems from grassland patches, 26 evergreen / succulent species were selected and among them 3 shrubby species such as Berberis tintoria Lesch, Elaeagnus kologa Schlecht and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa Wt. were screened for vegetational fire breaks on the basis of leaf moisture content and some other ecological characters. The fire trail experiments indicate that crossing of fire was checked by the fire belt size of 5 ${\times}$ 1.5m for all the three species. However, due to higher fire retardant capacity, the Ire belt of R. tomentosa was effective in comparison to other two species.