Berberine is a plant alkaloid found in plants such as Berberis, Coptis chinensis and goldenseal. Berberine has been used as a traditional dietary supplement because of it’s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Berberine promotes glucose uptake in pancreatic cells and also inhibits glucosidase activity, improving glucose metabolism.
In a study from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, researchers studied the effect of berberine on blood glucose levels and blood lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes . The researchers divided 116 type 2 diabetics with dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels) into two groups. The treatment group received 1.0 grams of berberine daily and the control group received a placebo for 3 months. At the end of the three months, the treatment group had improvements in their fasting blood glucose, Hemoglobin A1C, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL compared to the placebo group. Although there were no adverse effects during the study period, five participants in the berberine group experienced mild to moderate constipation.
In this study, berberine was shown to be safe and effective in lowering blood glucose and blood lipid levels in patients with mild to moderate type 2 diabetes .
In a study from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, researchers studied the effect of berberine on blood glucose levels and blood lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes . The researchers divided 116 type 2 diabetics with dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels) into two groups. The treatment group received 1.0 grams of berberine daily and the control group received a placebo for 3 months. At the end of the three months, the treatment group had improvements in their fasting blood glucose, Hemoglobin A1C, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL compared to the placebo group. Although there were no adverse effects during the study period, five participants in the berberine group experienced mild to moderate constipation.
In this study, berberine was shown to be safe and effective in lowering blood glucose and blood lipid levels in patients with mild to moderate type 2 diabetes .
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jul;93(7):2559-65.