Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

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Other names for oregon grape

Oregon Grape Root
Mountain Grape
Mahonia Root
oregon grape root

Synopsis of oregon grape

Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is a perennial shrub native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, known for its holly-like leaves, yellow flowers, and deep blue-purple berries. While the berries are edible, it is the root and root bark that are most valued medicinally. The primary active compound in Oregon grape is berberine, an alkaloid also found in goldenseal and barberry, which exhibits potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cholagogue, and antidiabetic properties.

Medicinally, Oregon grape is used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and fungal infections. It is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, making it particularly effective for inflamed, infected, or sluggish skin. It is often used topically in salves, creams, or tinctures, and internally in decoctions or capsules for broader antimicrobial or liver-supportive effects.

Oregon grape is also a bitter tonic that stimulates digestion, bile flow, and liver detoxification. It is used in traditional and modern herbalism to support sluggish digestion, gallbladder dysfunction, chronic constipation, and skin eruptions linked to poor liver function. Berberine in Oregon grape has shown strong antibacterial and antifungal effects, especially against Candida albicans, Helicobacter pylori, and Staphylococcus aureus, including some antibiotic-resistant strains.

Emerging research on berberine also supports its use in blood sugar regulation, suggesting Oregon grape may benefit metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes—though concentrated berberine extracts are more commonly used for these purposes.

Historical Use in Medicine
Oregon grape has been used for centuries by Native American tribes, including the Cowlitz, Okanagan, and Nez Perce, for treating a wide range of conditions. The roots were boiled into teas or poultices for digestive troubles, skin diseases, infectious conditions, and general blood purification. It was often seen as a “blood tonic,” purging toxins and improving overall vitality.

European settlers later adopted Oregon grape into their materia medica, particularly during the 19th century when the Eclectic physicians in America used it as a gentler alternative to goldenseal. Unlike goldenseal, which was overharvested, Oregon grape was more sustainable and accessible. Its combination of bitter and antimicrobial properties made it popular for treating chronic skin disorders, liver congestion, and gastrointestinal infections.

In Western herbalism, Oregon grape came to symbolize a “constitutional cleanser,” used to address systemic imbalances manifesting in the skin, digestion, or mucous membranes. It was often incorporated into spring tonics or detox formulas.

Oregon grape is used for these health conditions

Acne (Scientific)
Antibiotics (alternatives to) (Traditional)
Appetite (deficient) (Traditional)
Arthritis (Traditional)
Bladder Infection (Traditional)
Boils (Traditional)
Bronchitis (Traditional)
Canker Sores (Traditional)
Colds (general) (Traditional)
Colds (prevention) (Traditional)
Cuts (Traditional)
Dermatitis (Scientific)
Diarrhea (Traditional)
Digestion (poor) (Traditional)
Dyspepsia (Traditional)
Eczema (Scientific)
Fever (Traditional)
Fungal Infections (Scientific)
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed) (Traditional)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Gingivitis (Scientific)
Glands (swollen lymph) (Traditional)
Gout (Traditional)
Hemorrhoids (Traditional)
Hepatitis (Traditional)
Herpes (Traditional)
Indigestion (Traditional)
Infection (Scientific)

oregon grape is used to support these body systems

Digestive System (Traditional)
Gall Bladder (Traditional)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Traditional)
Gums (Traditional)
Immune System (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Scientific)
Liver (Traditional)
Lymphatics (Traditional)
Mucus Membranes (Scientific)
Skin (Scientific)