What is Berberine?
Berberine is a group of isoquinoline alkaloids in general and in particular organic constituents naturally occurring in several kinds of plants, namely Coptis sp, Berberis sp, Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, used in Chinese medicine since more than one thousand years ago, as an anti-diarrhoealagent against bacterial gastroenteritis and diarrhoea [1, 2]. Berberin is in the roots or rhizomes and stem bark [3].
What does Berberine do?
Berberine shows an excellent spectrum of pharmacological activity It has been studied for the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, bacterial and viral infections, mental disease and Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and more [1, 4].
In diabetic patients, berberine has been demonstrated to induce a substantial decrease in fasting blood glucose, haemoglobin A1C, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers while rapidly increasing insulin secretion, ameliorating insulin resistance and providing protection against diabetes complications, namely hepatic damage, cardiovascular disorders, nephropathy, and neuropathy [5].
Furthermore, Berberine shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidative potential. Recently, it was reported that this alkaloid possesses neuroprotective activity due to antiapoptotic, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities along with well-known pathways, eg, the Pl3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway, Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and MAPK signalling pathway [6].
Moreover, berberine inhibits the survival of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths and chlamydia as an efficient antimicrobial agent [3]. Also, berberine demonstrates antiproliferative effects by inhibiting the proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines [7], and diminished invasion and metastasis.
Side effects of Berberine
Berberine, a plant extract widely used in clinical practice, is generally well-tolerated. However, it does have some side effects that users should be aware of.
Perhaps the most frequent adverse effect of berberine ingestion is related to gastrointestinal symptoms, in particular, constipation and diarrhoea [8].
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