Black barberry (Berberis crataegina DC.) is a shrub in the genus Berberis. It grows naturally in Türkiye, Iran and Turkmenistan.
However, it is reported that there are about 500 different species in the world. There are four species of this genus naturally in Turkey and they are reported as Berberis vulgaris, Berberis integerrima, Berberis crataegina and Berberis cretica.
*This image was published under a Creative Commons Attribution license in the relevant scientific publication (Eroğlu et al., 2020) and is also shared here by the same author.
Berberis crataegina DC., which belongs to the Berberidaceae family and the Berberis genus, spreads naturally in Turkey (usually outside of Western Anatolia) and Iran.
According to TÜBİVES (Turkish Plants Data Service), Central Anatolia is among the areas where this plant is most common. It also grows naturally in Kastamonu, Ankara, Antalya, Erzincan, Kayseri, Konya, Kütahya, Malatya, Niğde, Şanlıurfa, Yozgat and Bayburt.
In different regions of Anatolia, the plant is also known as “karamık,” “diken üzümü,” “amberparis,” “sarı ağaç,” “sarı çalı” and “sarı odun.”
It generally grows in groups of varying sizes among shrubs on rocky slopes, at elevations of 800–1500 meters, and can reach a height of 2 meters.
The plant has dark reddish-brown young shoots and thorny stems. One feature distinguishing this species from others is that its leaves are usually longer than its spines.
Berberis crataegina DC. flowers in May–June. Its young stems lack black lenticels. The leaves are generally 1–4 cm long, with coarsely toothed or smooth margins. The inflorescences are 1–3 cm long and contain 6–15 flowers.
The elliptical-shaped fruits are dark red-brown before ripening, black when ripe and have a slightly sour taste. Berberis crataegina DC. fruit contains one or more seeds.
On some plants, the fruits of Berberis crataegina DC. grow in grape-like clusters; on others, they occur singly.
Although Berberis crataegina DC. fruit has been known for a long time and used in different ways, it has a potential that can be considered new in scientific research and can be the subject of many further studies.
Berberis crataegina DC. fruits have a slightly sour taste and contain high amounts of anthocyanins and vitamin C, tannins and organic acids. All parts of this plant (fruit, root, branch, flower and leaf) are often used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases.
Studies of the plant’s fruits, leaves and roots are ongoing. Analyses of Berberis crataegina DC. fruits have identified phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, gallic acid, sinapic acid, caffeic acid, apigenin, rutin, cinnamic acid, quercetin, p-coumaric acid and trans-ferulic acid.
It can be said that Berberis crataegina DC. fruits are good antioxidants and rich in phenolic substances. It has been determined that berberine (BBR) alkaloid and its extracts in B. crataegina have strong antifungal and antidiabetic activity.
Health Benefits of Berberis crataegina DC.
It has been reported that berberine and various other alkaloids, which are the active substances found in the root of the Berberis crataegina DC. plant, are antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and effective against cutaneous leishmaniasis (oriental sore), prevent the development of bacteria, and have therapeutic effects on diseases such as hemorrhoids, jaundice, bronchitis and colds.
Local residents also report that an ointment made from the ash of burnt Berberis crataegina DC. roots mixed with unsalted butter is used for all kinds of wounds.
Berberis crataegina DC. fruits are generally consumed by local people using traditional methods specific to their region. In different parts of Türkiye, they are traditionally used for colds, rheumatism, lowering blood pressure and as a blood tonic, as well as for diarrhea, constipation, jaundice, hemorrhoids (also known locally as “mayasıl”), diabetes, gallbladder, stomach and intestinal disorders, and cardiovascular and gynecological conditions.
It is also known that the fruit of the plant is eaten in case of diabetes, and in some regions, its roots are boiled and the boiled water is drunk on an empty stomach in the morning and used to treat diseases such as diabetes, kidney pain and jaundice.
Alongside the fruits, the leaves and roots are put to use in different ways. The leaves are traditionally used to lower blood pressure and as an expectorant.
The flowers of Berberis crataegina DC. are used in the treatment of jaundice and hemorrhoids. The fruit is not only used directly by the people of the region where it is found but also drinks (compote, fruit syrup, etc.), jam, marmalade and desserts are made from it. It is also reported that it is added to soup and bulgur pilaf to add flavor.
Bringing this often-overlooked wild fruit into cultivation could put unused or unproductive land to use for fruit growing. Expanding its applications could also contribute to the economy of Türkiye.
This wild fruit is considered promising for its antioxidant content, phenolic compounds and antimicrobial potential. Developing cultivation methods and promoting it throughout Türkiye could increase its consumption and diversify production.
Note: This article is intended solely for general informational purposes. Nutritional needs may vary from person to person. Always consult a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet.
You may also be interested in this article; Barberries (Berberis vulgaris); Overview and Health Benefits
References
Baytop, T. (2021). Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün (Gözden geçirilmiş 3. baskı; F. Baytop Günergun, Haz.). Ankara Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri.
Karabulut, A. (2018). Bayburt ilinde doğal olarak bulunan Berberis vulgaris L. ve Berberis crataegina DC. yabani meyvelerinin biyokimyasal karakterizasyonu. Yüksek lisans tezi, Bayburt Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Gıda Mühendisliği Ana Bilim Dalı.
Eroğlu, A. Y. (2019). Yabani kızamık (Berberis vulgaris L.) ve karamuk (Berberis crataegina DC.) meyvelerinin bazı fizikokimyasal özellikleri ile antioksidan ve antimikrobiyal kapasitesinin tespit edilmesi. Yüksek lisans tezi, Bayburt Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Gıda Mühendisliği Ana Bilim Dalı.
Eroğlu, A. Y., Çakır, Ö., Sağdıç, M., & Dertli, E. (2020). Bioactive Characteristics of Wild Berberis vulgaris and Berberis crataegina Fruits. Journal of Chemistry, 2020, 8908301.
Yaman, M., Sun, M., Sümbül, A., Demirel, F., Tunç, Y., Khadivi, A., & Yılmaz, K. U. (2024). Multivariate analysis of morphological variation, biochemical content, antioxidant activity, and molecular characteristics of autochthonous Berberis crataegina DC. genotypes in Central Türkiye. BMC Plant Biology, 24, 1155.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Berberis crataegina DC. Plants of the World Online.
Özlem Çakır
Ozlem Cakir, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Bayburt University’s Faculty of Engineering, where she works in the Division of Food Sciences within the Department of Food Engineering. She received her B.Sc. in Plant Production from Atatürk University in 2003 and completed both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Fruit Growing and Breeding at the same university in 2006 and 2012, respectively. Her formally recognised academic specialisation is Fruit Growing and Breeding within the broader field of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Dr. Cakir has more than twenty years of academic, research, and professional experience in horticulture, fruit science, food processing, and nutrition. From 2010 to 2013, she worked as an agricultural engineer at the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. She subsequently served as Deputy Director of a Research and Application Centre at Bayburt University between 2013 and 2014. Her background enables her to approach fruits and plant-derived foods from both agricultural production and food-processing perspectives.
Her research focuses particularly on cultivated and wild fruits, fruit genetic resources, fruit growing and breeding, biochemical characterisation, phenolic compounds, antioxidants, mineral composition, bioactive plant constituents, extraction processes, drying technologies, and the use of fruit extracts and processing by-products in food systems. Her studies have examined species and genotypes of Berberis, Rosa, Crataegus, Malus, Sorbus, Hippophae, Diospyros, Punica, blackberry, mulberry, loquat, cherry laurel, tea, apricot, grapevine, and other horticultural crops.
Her university profile currently lists 32 peer-reviewed research articles, 20 of which were published in SCI-Expanded-indexed journals. Her work has appeared in journals including Food Chemistry, the Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, Food Science & Nutrition, Sustainability, the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Scientia Horticulturae, Applied Fruit Science, and the Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. She has also contributed to two chapters in an international scientific book addressing agricultural resource use and sustainability.
Dr. Cakir has presented or co-authored 47 national and international conference contributions, including 42 international papers or presentations. These studies cover fruit cultivation and breeding, wild fruit biodiversity, antioxidant activity, phenolic profiles, mineral composition, organic agriculture, drying and extraction methods, food-processing technologies, and the use of plant-derived bioactive compounds in food products.
She has participated in eight scientific research projects as a project leader, researcher, or scholarship holder. Her project work has included the characterisation of wild pomegranate and apricot-plum genetic resources; the biochemical and antioxidant properties of wild apple, Berberis, Rosa, and other regional fruits; the optimisation of extraction conditions for aromatic plants; the use of fruit extracts as natural antioxidants in meat products; the application of Berberis fruit in ice cream; and the characterisation of exopolysaccharides produced by lactic acid bacteria. She has also supervised nine master’s theses, seven of which are recorded as completed, on subjects including wild fruits, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, pectin extraction, food safety systems, nutritional habits, fermentation, and functional food ingredients.
Her teaching experience includes undergraduate and graduate courses in Fruit and Vegetable Processing Technology, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Technology, Beverage Technology, Fruit and Vegetable Drying Technology, Food-Derived Antioxidants, Methods for Determining Antioxidant Activity in Foods, Sensory Evaluation of Foods, Food and Nutrition, Nutrition Principles, Organic Agriculture, Food Packaging, Special Foods Technology, and Industrial Food Waste and By-products.
As an author for Gıda ve Sağlık, Dr. Cakir contributes her expertise in fruit science, wild and cultivated fruits, antioxidants, phenolic compounds, food processing, organic agriculture, and nutrition to the preparation of scientifically grounded and accessible articles for an international readership.