a yellow bitter-tasting alkaloid obtained from barberry and other plants and used medicinally, esp in tonics. Formula: C20H19NO5
Word origin
C19: from German Berberin, from New Latin berberisbarberry
berberine in American English
(ˈbɜrbərˌin; ˈbɜrbərˌɪn)
noun
a bitter, yellow alkaloid, C20H17NO4·6H2O or C20H19NO5·6H2O, obtained from barberry and other plants: it is used as a dye and as a drug in treating malaria, fever, or skin ulcers