Coptis chinensis
Coptis
For such a small plant, Coptis chinensis has received a lot of attention and has been one of the most in-demand cultivated plants in China. It has been noted in Chinese medical texts dating as far back as 200 CE. It was used in 13 preparations before the Song Dynasty (which began in 960 CE and lasted until 1279 CE), is included in more than 32,000 Chinese medicine formulas, and is still highly valued today.
A Berberine Rich Plant
One of the reasons C. chinensis is such a commonly used herb is due to its berberine content, which is quite high compared to other plants with this compound. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid derivative or, more specifically, a secondary metabolite of a class of isoquinoline alkaloids known as protoberberine alkaloids, which are of great interest due to their pharmacological actions.
“Berberine-containing plants are very good at what they do—if they are prepared and used properly.”
- Stephen Buhner, Herbal antibiotics: Natural alternatives for treating drug-resistant bacteria (2nd ed.)
Herbal Actions of Coptis
In Chinese medicine, Coptis chinensis is traditionally used for conditions of Damp Heat, which are often related to congested bile but may also accompany infections and other inflammatory conditions.
As a cholagogue, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic herb, coptis is used to reduce fire, especially in the liver, to help ease symptoms correlated with inflammation and aid in detoxification. These conditions include dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, urinary tract infections (UTIs), respiratory tract infections, gynecological inflammations, jaundice, gastroenteritis, bacterial diarrhea, acute conjunctivitis, skin sores (cutaneous leishmaniasis), and for visceral leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection which affects the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and can be fatal.