berberine

B3E1R1B3E1R1I1N1E1
UK/ˈbɜː.bə.ɹiːn/US/ˈbɝ.bəˌɹin/US/ˈbɝ.bə.ɹɪn/

noun

Any of a class of alkaloid C₂₀H₁₉NO₅ originally obtained, as a bitter, yellow substance, from the root of the barberry, goldthread, and other plants. It is used in medicine especially for its antimicrobial properties.

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Meanings

nounberberine (countable and uncountable, plural berberines)

plural berberines

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryAny of a class of alkaloid C₂₀H₁₉NO₅ originally obtained, as a bitter, yellow substance, from the root of the barberry, goldthread, and other plants. It is used in medicine especially for its antimicrobial properties.

Origin

From berberis + -ine.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 小檗鹼 /小檗碱, 小檗硷
  • 小檗鹼 /小檗碱 (xiǎobòjiǎn)Translations
  • 小檗硷 (xiǎobòjiǎn)Translations
  • 黃連素 /黄连素 (huángliánsù)Translations
Finnish berberiini
  • berberiiniTranslations
Japanese ベルベリン
  • ベルベリン (beruberin)Translations
Russian бербери́н
  • бербери́н (berberín)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

berberine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/berberine

MLA

“berberine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/berberine. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “berberine,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/berberine.

Source: berberine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.