Berberine: Pharmacological Features in Health, Disease and Aging.

Salva Piscopo, Inna Vladimirova, Akram Muhammad, Oksana Khavrona, Farah Asghar, Larysa Lenchyk, Roman Lysiuk, Geir Bjørklund, Sadaf Noor, Amin Gasmi, Iryna Lozynska, Taras Upyr, Oksana Tsal, Olha Antoniv, Natalia Dub, Halyna Antonyak, Petro Oliinyk, Massimiliano Peana, Saba Zafar, Joeri J Pen

Journal: Current medicinal chemistry 2024;31(10):1214-1234

PMID: 36748808

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Berberine is the main active compound of different herbs and is defined as an isoquinoline quaternary botanical alkaloid found in barks and roots of numerous plants. It exhibits a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as anti-obesity and antidiabetic effects. Berberine has antibacterial activity against a variety of microbiota, including many bacterial species, protozoa, plasmodia, fungi, and trypanosomes.

OBJECTIVE

This review describes the role of berberine and its metabolic effects. It also discusses how it plays a role in glucose metabolism, fat metabolism, weight loss, how it modulates the gut microbiota, and what are its antimicrobial properties along with its potential side effects with maximal tolerable dosage.

METHODS

Representative studies were considered and analyzed from different scientific databases, including PubMed and Web of Science, for the years 1982-2022.

RESULTS

Literature analysis shows that berberine affects many biochemical and pharmacological pathways that theoretically yield a positive effect on health and disease. Berberine exhibits neuroprotective properties in various neurodegenerative and neuropsychological ailments. Despite its low bioavailability after oral administration, berberine is a promising tool for several disorders. A possible hypothesis would be the modulation of the gut microbiome. While the evidence concerning the aging process in humans is more limited, preliminary studies have shown positive effects in several models.

CONCLUSION

Berberine could serve as a potential candidate for the treatment of several diseases. Previous literature has provided a basis for scientists to establish clinical trials in humans. However, for obesity, the evidence appears to be sufficient for hands-on use.

Address: Société Francophone de Nutrithérapie et de Nutrigénétique Appliquée, Villeurbanne, France.; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (MMG), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.; Department of Research, The Women University, Multan, Pakistan.; Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine.; CONEM Ukraine Life Science Research Group, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine.; Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.; Department of Ecology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine.; Diabetes Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.; Department of Nutrition, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.; Department of Research, National University of Pharmacy, Kharkiv, Ukraine.; CONEM Ukraine Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Chemistry Research Group, National University of Pharmacy, Kharkiv, Ukraine.; Department of Research, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.; Andrei Krupynskyi Lviv Medical Academy, Lviv, Ukraine.; Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (CONEM), Mo i Rana, Norway.

DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230207112539

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MeSH Terms: Humans, Berberine, Alkaloids, Aging, Antineoplastic Agents, Hypoglycemic Agents