Since ancient times the medicinal plants have been under use as food and potential therapeutic agent for the management of overall health and the use of all plant parts including fruits, seeds, is well reported in the literature. One such plant is Berberis aristata which is rich in
vitamins, minerals, and various
phytochemicals amongst which
Berberine is the principal bioactive compound with a range of reported health benefits, and some of the commercial formulations like Rasaut, Darvyadi Leha are being used for the treatments of
jaundice,
malaria,
typhoid fever,
inflammation,
eye infection,
diarrhea, wound healing, etc. The hepatoprotective,
antidiabetic, antitumor, anti-cancerous, properties are the recent additions to its functional importance.
Berberine has significant bioactivities in the treatments of different diseases. Besides its remarkable applications, the
berberine has low efficacy due to its low solubility in water, poor absorption, and low bioavailability. This problem can be solved by using some techniques like Nanotechnology which has been found to increase its solubility in water, bioavailability, and absorption and hence provide a better delivery system of
berberine. This review illuminates the therapeutic applications of the plant Berberis aristata, scientific validation to its traditional uses, role of
berberine in the treatment of various diseases through its different bioactivities, major flaws in
berberine treatment, and the role of nanotechnology in minimizing those flaws and increasing its overall efficacy.Key teaching pointsPlant Berberis aristata has been used since ancient times for the treatment of various ailments like
jaundice,
hepatitis,
fever,
bleeding,
inflammation,
diarrhea,
malaria, skin and
eye infections, chronic
rheumatism, and urinary disorders.Berberine is the major and most significant
phytochemical among numerous
phytochemicals present in plant Berberis aristata.Berberine has significantly shown many potent effect against emerging diseases like
cancer and diabetes. Besides that, it has also shown
antioxidant, anti-inflamation, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and anti-
gastrointestinal disorder properties.Berberine can be very effective in overcoming the demerits of
berberine treatment like poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, and poor absorption in the human body in the treatment of various diseases.