The Genus Berberis is very commonly used in the indigenous system of medicine. The alkaloids obtained from this genus have been listed and the chemistry of the new alkaloids have been discussed. Pharmacology of berbamine and crude extracts of berberis species is also given. The genus Berberis is very widely distributed and very commonly used in the indigenous system of medicine for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers, in chronic diarrhoea and piles, in jaundice for the affection of eyes, for the treatment of rheumatic conditions of the joints, etc. [I, 21. Its fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C. This genus has been thoroughly investigated for its alkaloids and many alkaloids have been isolated. Most of the species contain common alkaloids berberine, berbamine, palmatine, oxycanthine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, magnoflorine and shobakunine. Six species namely, B. vulgaris, B. tschonokyana, B. laurica, B. laurina, B. amurensis and B. baluchistanica have yielded new isoquinoline alkaloids. Table I gives the names of alkaloids obtained from various species followed by a brief description of the new alkaloids.