The herbal properties of barberry extract (Berberis vulgaris) have been reported as anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and beneficial for application to cutaneous eruptions. The common barberry is a bushy shrub cultivated for its fruit, but the stem bark and root bark are used for cosmetic applications. Barberry bark’s main constituent is berberine, a bitter alkaloid. other constituents include oxyacanthine, bergamine, other alkaloidal matter, a little tannin, wax, resin, fat, albumin, gum, and starch.
