01/30/2026
What is berberine? 💭
Berberine is a plant extract found in a variety of plants such as Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), Tree tumeric (Berberis aristata), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), and California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) to name a few. Berberine is usually found in the roots of the plant. Due to its yellow color it has been used historically as a natural dye for wool, leather, and wood. And interestingly, under UV light it has a fluorescent glow making it useful histologically for identifying mast cells, etc.
Berberine and glucose control 🌱
In 2008, a study showed that berberine (500mg 3x/day) was as effective as metformin in lowering blood glucose in a 3 month trial. Average levels of hemoglobin A1C dropped from 9.5% to 7.5% vs 9.1% to 7.7% in the metformin group. In another study looking at the hypoglycemic effects of berberine the average levels of hemoglobin A1C dropped from 8.1% to 7.3% proving berberine to be an effective alternative to metformin in Type 2 Diabetes.
Observations 👀
Berberine has long been used to treat gastrointestinal infections in China, and in 1988 was observed to have a hypoglycemic effect as well. The exact mechanism of its glucose metabolism effects is still unknown. It seems as if it has an insulin sensitizing effect in vivo and in vitro. In addition, berberine has been shown to also lower triglyceride, serum cholesterol, and LDL. Making it a very exciting alternative to conventional medications for both diabetes and high cholesterol!