Photo by Zura Narimanishvili on Unsplash The source of berberine matters. High-quality supplements are usually derived from well-known species like Berberis aristata or Berberis vulgaris.

Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis (1). Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids.

Berberine is a natural light-yellow compound found in various plants, including the goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis), barberry (Berberis Vulgaris), and Oregon grapes (Mahonia aquifolium).