Mahonia aquifolium & Psoriasis

A natural product for the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, acne and other skin conditions.

Mahonia aquifolium - The Plant Mahonia aquifolium belongs to the Berberidaceae family. Common names: barberry, (shining) Oregon grape, mountain grape, trailing mahonia, jaundice berry, woodsour, sowberry, pepperidge, buish, sourspine, berberis and others1. Botany: the barberry grows wild throughout Europe, North and South America. The evergreen shrub may grow to more than two metres with branched, spin-holly-like leaves. Its yellow flowers begin to bloom in the spring (april-May), and develop into blue-black oblong berries.2

Chemistry The root and wood are rich in isoquinoline alkaloids including: palmatine, berbamine, oxyacanthine, jatrorrhizine, bervulcine, magnoflorine, and columbamine2,3. However, the most important alkaloid is berberine.

Pharmacology Berberine is perhaps the best studied of the barberry alkaloids. Although berberine has a variety of properties effective for many disorders, our focus will be on its external activity as an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent.

History The plant has a long history of use, dating back to the middle ages. The ancient Egyptians used it to prevent plagues, a use that was probably effective considering its antibiotic action. India's traditional Ayurvedic healers prescribed it for dysentry. European herbalists were guided by the Doctrine of Signatures, the belief that a plant's physical appearance revealed its therapeutic benefits. North American Native Indians considered the Oregon grape a powerful healer, and used it both internally and externally. The 19th Century American eclectic physicians prescribed it. Most present-day herbalists continue to recommend it. You can now find it recommended in medical journals.

Medicinal Parts Root, bark and berries.

Bodily Influence Antiseptic, laxative, stimulant, tonic.

Medicinal Uses Chronic skin diseases, psoriasis, chronic eczema, scrofulous, and syphilitic cachexia (condition of general ill health), atonic dyspepsia, chronic constipation, weak digestion, flatulence, jaundice, kidney and liver troubles, rheumatism, chronic uterine diseases, leycorrhea4.

The Safety Factor Pregnant women and nursing mothers should not use it, as it can stimulate the uterus.

Uses Mahonia aquifolium, containing berberine available in PRIMADERM family of products, has been proven to be 81% effective for psoriasis, eczema, acne, candida, dry scaly skin, and other skin and scalp conditions.

Evidence of the Effectiveness of Mahonia aquifolium

In a multi centre, randomized, double-blind study of 93 patients with mild to moderately severe psoriasis, Wiesenauer (1992)7 compared the topical application of Mahonia aquifolium with oral treatment of Mahonia aquifolium, which is the more usual homeopathic route of administration. At the end of treatment, significant improvement had occurred in more than 70% of patients in both groups.

Gieler (1995)8 in an open, prospective trial in 89 dermatological practices in Germany, reported on 433 patients with subacute and chronic forms of psoriasis treated with Mahonia aquifolium. According to an overall evaluation by dermatologists, symptoms improved or disappeared in 81.1% of patients.

According to an evaluation by the patients, 79.7% improved or healed completely. The tolerability of Mahonia aquifolium was evaluated as good or very good by 82.4% of patients. There was a significant improvement in the "quality of life" which was used as a subjective parameter throughout the study. Whiel 30.1% of patients had significant or severe symptoms at the start, this was the case for only 5.6% after 12 weeks.

One hundred methanolic plant extracts were screened by McCutcheon (1994)9 for antifungal activity against 9 fungal species. Eighty-one were found to have some antifungal activity, and 30 extracts showed activity against 4 or more of the fungi assayed. The extracts with the greatest fungal inhibition included Mahonia aquifolium roots.

Hansel (1992)10 concludes that clinical tests suggest an antipsoriasis effect with the use of topical preparations containing Mahonia aquifolium. Berberine could be a contributing factor to this effectiveness; it retards the synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins. The alkaloid works as an antiproliferative on cells that like to divide; in test models it is antiphlogistic.

Mennet-von Eiff (1995)11 reports that a 1% unadulterated tincture of Mahonia aquifolium is effective against all classes of Propionibacterium-acnes. In clinical tests at the University of Basel, 15 acne patients have shown a reduction in skin oiliness, and have indicated positive results. Further he states that, "Compared to 'Dithranol', a traditional antipsoriaticum, inhibition of the lipidperoxidation through use of Mahonia aquifolium was better."

Augustin (1996)12 cites the results of 80 patients using Mahonia aquifolium. He describes the external preparations to be "relatively effective in the case of a good portion of the patients when applied three times daily, no side effects, and easy to manage."

Mechanism of Action

Muller (1994)13,14 investigated the effects of Mahonia aquifolium and its main constituents (berberine, berbamine, oxyacanthine). The most prominent feature of Mahonia aquifolium is its efficiency in inhibition of lipid peroxidation.

Products of lipoxygenase metabolism play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Several alkaloids isolated from Mahonia aquifolium were tested for lipoxygenase inhibition by Misik (1995)15. A strong linear correlation (r=0.866) between lipoxygenase inhibition and lipid antioxidant properties was found. The data suggests that the mechanism of lipoxygenase inhibition by certain alkaloids may be linked to the inhibition of lipid hydroperoxide substrate accumulation. The author concludes that the inhibition of lipoxygenase by these compounds may contribute to the therapeutic effect of Mahonia aquifolium in the treatment of psoriasis.

References and Bibliography

1.Windholz M, (ed). The Merck Index. 10th ed. New Jersey: Merck and Co., 1983 2.Leung AY, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. New York: J. Wiley and Sons, 1980 3.Schauenberg P., Paris F. Guide to Medicinal Plants. Connecticut: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1977 4.Christopher, Dr. John R., School of Natural Healing. The Reference Volume in Natural Herbs for the Teacher, Student or Herbal Practitioner. 72-73. 5.Hartwell JL. Plants Used Against Cancer: A Survey. Lloydia. 1968; 31(2): 71 6.Olin BR. (ed). The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Missouri: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1991. 7.Wiesenauer. M. Wirksamkeit und vertraglichkeit von Mahonia aquifolium bei psoriasis vulgaris. Extracta Dermatol. 1992; 16:23-31. 8.Gieler U, Von der Weth A, Heger M. Mahonia aquifolium - a new type of topical treatment for psoriasis. Journal of Dermatological Treatment (United Kingdom). 1995; 6:31-34. 9.McCutcheon AH, Ellis SM, Hancock REW, Towers GHN. Antifungal screening of medicinal plants of British Columian native peoples. Journal of Ehnopharmacology. 1994;44:157-169. 10.Hansel R. Mahonia aquifolium - a plant-based anti-psoriasis agent. 1992;132(40):2095-2097 11.Mennet-von Eiff M, Meier B. Phytotherapy in dermatology. 9th Swiss Congress of Phytotherapy. Zeitschrift fur Phytotherapie. 1995;16(4):201-210 12.Augustin M. Mahonia aquifolium in psoriasis. A comparative study with Dithranol. Zeitschrift fur Phytotherapie. 1996;17(1):44. 13.Muller K, Ziereis K. The antipsoriatic Mahonia aquifolium and its active constituents; 1 pro-and antioxidant properties and inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. Planta Med. 1994;60(5):421-424 14.Muller K, Ziereis K, Gawlik I. The antipsoriatic Mahonia aquifolium and its active constituents; 11 Anti-proliferative activity against cell growth of human keratinocytes. Planta Med. 1995;61:74-75. 15.Misik V, Bozakova L, Malakova D. lipoxygenase inhibition and antioxidant properties of protoberberine and aporphine alkaloids isolated from Mahonia aquifolium. Planta Medica 1995;61(4):372-373. 16.Donsky H. Comparative clinical trials with PRIMADERM, containing Mahonia aquifolium. 1997; Unpublished. 17.Potters Cyclopedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations 18.Indian Herbalogy of North America 19.British Herbal Pharacopoeia - 1983 20.The Healing Herbs - the Ultimate Guide to the Curative Power of Natures Medicines; Indian Pediatrics 1972 9:143; Lloydia 1970 40:1; Indian Pediatrics 8:462 1971; American Journal of Deseases of Children 1975 129:886; Antibiotics 1976 3:577; International Journal of Immunopharmacology 1984 6:587; Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 1971 15:111; Infection and Immunology 1982 35:471; Indian Pediatrics 1970 7:496; Amin. Nature 1967 215:527; Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 1988 32:1370 21.The Honest Herbal, A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies Third Edition, References: The Dispensary of the United States of America 24th Edition; the Rodale Herb Book; The Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics 1980. 22.Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vt. Stephen Foster & Yue Chongxi, Pages 216-224; R.C. Wren, Pages 24-25; A.R. Hutchens Pages 23-25, Pages 40-41; Michael Castleman, Pages 87-91; Choudhry, V.P. Cordell, G.A. & N.R. Farnsworth Desal, A.B. et al. S. Gupte; F.E. Hahn & J. Ciak Y. Kumazawa; M. Sabir & N. Bhide; R.B. Sack & J.L. Froehlich, R. Sharma, T.V. Subbalah & A.H., D. Suh; Rudolf F. Weiss M.D. Page 341; Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D. Pages 39-40. 23.Rondale Press Book Div. 1974, Pages 1361-1363, John Wiley Pages 52-53 24.Duke JA, Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Florida: CRC Press, 1985