The Collaborative International Dictionary
Berberine \Ber"ber*ine\, n. (Chem.) An alkaloid obtained, as a bitter, yellow substance, from the root of the barberry, gold thread, and other plants.
Wiktionary
n. (context organic chemistry English) Any of a class of alkaloid originally obtained, as a bitter, yellow substance, from the root of the barberry, gold thread, and other plants.
Wikipedia
Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis (e.g. Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), Berberis aristata (tree turmeric)), Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Xanthorhiza simplicissima (yellowroot), Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork tree), Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread), Tinospora cordifolia, Argemone mexicana (prickly poppy), and Eschscholzia californica (Californian poppy). Berberine is usually found in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and bark.
Due to berberine's strong yellow color, Berberis species were used to dye wool, leather, and wood. Wool is still dyed with berberine today in northern India. Under ultraviolet light, berberine shows a strong yellow fluorescence, so it is used in histology for staining heparin in mast cells. As a natural dye, berberine has a colour index of 75160.
Usage examples of "berberine".
Cessna contained the alkaloids hydrastine, berberine, canadine, and berberastine.
Then he crept back again to the wall of the house, where he huddled between a Berberine playing a darabukkeh and a man of the Fayoum who chanted the fatihah from the Koran.
Cessna contained the alkaloids hydrastine, berberine, canadine, and berberastine.
The roots and rhizomes are thought to have medicinal properties because of the hydrastine and berberine.
As there is neither tannic nor gallic acid, the activity is due to berberia or berberine, which is associated with another alkaloid called Coptine or Coptina, resembling hydrastia.