by Francis Brinker, ND
Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is the state flower of Oregon. Its compound leaves made up of spiny leaflets resemble holly leaves, and thus its less common name, holly grape. This shrub is over three feet in height and bears yellow flower clusters in the spring. These flowers develop into waxy blue berries for which the name Oregan grape is given to the plant.
Oregon grape grows throughout much of Oregon, especially in the Cascade Mountains and coastal mountain ranges. Thus, it also is designated mountain grape. Its natural range extends into the neighboring states of Washington and California. Its distribution in the mountains carries it as far east as the Rocky Mountains. A similar smaller species, M. nervosa, has leaves longer than its stem and is more widely distributed and abundant at lower altitudes.
Of the Mahonia spp. in the western United States, most have been used for the bitter tonic effect associated with their common yellow alkaloid, berberine. In fact, all Berberis spp. and Mahonia spp. that have been analyzed contain berberine and associated alkaloids. However, it was Mahonia aquifolium, initially called Berberis aquifolium, that was preferred by the Eclectic physicians, officially recognized in the United States Pharmacopeia, and the most frequent subject of medical reports. M. aquifolium also contains other alkaloids including berbamine, oxyacanthine, and jatrorrhizine.
The Eclectic physician, Dr JH Bundy of Colusa, California, first introduced Oregon grape to medical practice as Berberis aquifolium. He used a tincture of the fresh root bark as a treatment for syphilis. It was initially supplied to the medical profession through Parke, Davis & Co. in 1877. Cure of an extreme case of psoriasis was reported in the Parke, Davis & Co. publication “New Preparations” around 1900.