Berberine: benefits and side effects

Healthylife Pharmacy16 March 2018|3 min read

What is berberine extract?

Berberine is a yellow-coloured alkaloid that is extracted from several different plants and herbal medicines. Popular in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, berberine has a long history of traditional use for a variety of ailments and is even used as a dye. It may offer a wide array of health benefits.

What makes berberine so effective?

Berberine has many effects on the body, including anti-inflammatory, and may act as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial against bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. It may aid in tissue repair, maintaining a healthy heart rhythm and controlling lipid and blood sugar regulation. 

Berberine is one of the few compounds known to activate AMPK which is an enzyme inside cells, often referred to as the ‘metabolic master switch’ as it plays an important role in regulating metabolism.

Possible health benefits of berberine extract 

Blood sugar support

Some studies suggest berberine may help with blood sugar control, although more research is required.

Possible reduction of plaque in arteries

Arteriosclerosis is the term used to describe the build-up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls. This process contributes to the thickening and hardening of the artery walls, which may restrict blood flow and contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Many studies have reported an anti-atherosclerosis effect of berberine, and several mechanisms have been suggested to explain this property of berberine. One such mechanism is berberine’s ability to reduce levels of LDLs or “bad cholesterol”. In addition to this, berberine stimulates the release of nitric oxide, a signalling molecule that relaxes the arteries, increases blood flow and helps to lower blood pressure.

Berberine is considered a heart tonic because of its ability to support cardiac function. In clinical trials, it has been found to reduce atrial rate which may make it beneficial in treating arrhythmias and improving recovery after a heart condition.

 Potential therapeutic benefits for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

Those with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) have excess bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO is frequently implicated in gastrointestinal disturbances such as chronic diarrhoea, bloating and nutritional deficiencies. The use of berberine may offer therapeutic benefits for SIBO.

Possible protection against neurodegenerative conditions

Patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) have excess bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO is frequently implicated in gastrointestinal disturbances such as chronic diarrhoea, bloating and nutritional deficiencies. Usual medical treatment involves strong antibiotics which can have unwanted side-effects. A 2014 study published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine found that herbal therapy, which included berberine, worked just as well as antibiotic treatment.

Protection against neurodegenerative diseases

Studies have evaluated the therapeutic potential of berberine against neurodegenerative conditions. One study found that there are multiple positive effects of berberine, some of which may enhance neuroprotective pathways and others that counteract nerve damage.

While more research needs to be done in this area, the preliminary studies provide a convincing basis for further scientific exploration.

Supplements containing berberine

Berberine can be found in herbal supplements including:

  • Phellodendron (Phellodendron amurense)
  • Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
  • Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
  • Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
  • Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis)
  • Indian barberry (Berberis aristata)

Quality products should list the standardised amount of berberine contained in the formula.

Discuss with a qualified healthcare professional if supplements containing berberine are suitable for you and your health concerns. 

Cautions and contraindications

Generally, berberine shows very low toxicity and side effects. In humans, some clinical studies that evaluated the safety of berberine reported only mild gastrointestinal reactions, including diarrhoea and constipation.

Contraindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding and in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Caution should be taken in those with obstructed bile ducts, beta thalassaemia and hyperbilirubinemia.

Since berberine may lower blood sugar levels, those who are controlling their blood sugar with insulin or other medications must use caution when using this supplement to avoid dangerously low blood sugar levels.

To summarise

Berberine is an alkaloid naturally found in certain species of plants which may help with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and gastrointestinal infections. 

The information provided is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing any health concerns please consult your doctor for advice.

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References

  1. Neag, M. A., Mocan, A., Echeverría, J., Pop, R. M., Bocsan, C. I., Crişan, G., & Buzoianu, A. D. (2018). Berberine: Botanical Occurrence, Traditional Uses, Extraction Methods, and Relevance in Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Hepatic, and Renal Disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9(557). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6111450/ 
  2. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/diabetes-and-dietary-supplements-what-you-need-to-know  
  3. Rui, R., Yang, H., Liu, Y., Zhou, Y., Xu, X., Li, C., & Liu, S. (2021). Effects of Berberine on Atherosclerosis. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.764175 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8661030/#:~:text=Another%20study%20has%20shown%20that,and%20rupture%20of%20vulnerable%20plaques. 
  4. Park, H.-J., Jung, E., & Shim, I. (2020). Berberine for Appetite Suppressant and Prevention of Obesity. BioMed Research International, 2020, 3891806. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7752296/ 
  5. Guo, H., Lu, S., Zhang, J., Chen, C., Du, Y., Wang, K., & Duan, L. (2023). Berberine and rifaximin effects on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: Study protocol for an investigator-initiated, double-arm, open-label, randomized clinical trial (BRIEF-SIBO study). 14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36873985/#:~:text=Berberine%20is%20a%20natural%20component,provide%20therapeutic%20target%20for%20SIBO. 
  6. Cheng, Z., Kang, C., Che, S., Su, J., Sun, Q., Ge, T., Guo, Y., Lv, J., Sun, Z., Yang, W., Li, B., Li, X., & Cui, R. (2022). Berberine: A Promising Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9164284/ 
  7. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/in-the-news-berberine 
  8. Zhang, L., Wu, X., Yang, R., Chen, F., Liao, Y., Zhu, Z., Wu, Z., Sun, X., & Wang, L. (2021). Effects of Berberine on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7933196/ 
  9. Och, A., Och, M., Nowak, R., Podgórska, D., & Podgórski, R. (2022). Berberine, a Herbal Metabolite in the Metabolic Syndrome: The Risk Factors, Course, and Consequences of the Disease. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 27(4), 1351. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8874997/ 
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