Evidence supporting the use of: Barberry
For the health condition: Fibrosis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in various cultures for digestive, liver, and antimicrobial purposes. Recent scientific interest has focused on its active compound, berberine, for potential antifibrotic effects. Preclinical studies, primarily in animal models and cell cultures, have shown that berberine can attenuate fibrosis in organs such as the liver, lung, and heart. These effects are attributed to berberine’s ability to modulate pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and the TGF-β/Smad signaling, which plays a central role in fibrogenesis.

For example, in models of liver fibrosis, barberry extract or berberine has been shown to decrease the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and suppress activation of hepatic stellate cells, both key contributors to fibrosis. Similar antifibrotic effects have been observed in experimental models of pulmonary and cardiac fibrosis. However, these findings are largely limited to preclinical research. There is a lack of high-quality human clinical trials that confirm efficacy or safety for this indication.

In summary, while barberry and its constituent berberine show promise in animal models for the management of fibrosis, the evidence is still preliminary. Clinical validation is needed before its use can be recommended for fibrosis in humans, but its use is justified by emerging scientific—not traditional—evidence. The current level of evidence is thus rated as 2 out of 5.

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