Effects of Berberine on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota

Lichao Zhang; Xiaoying Wu; Ruibing Yang; Fang Chen; Yao Liao; Zifeng Zhu; Zhongdao Wu; Xi Sun; Lifu Wang

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.588517

Effects of Berberine on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021 Feb 19:10:588517. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.588517. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Lichao Zhang^{1

2

3}, Xiaoying Wu^{1

2

4}, Ruibing Yang⁵, Fang Chen⁶, Yao Liao^{1

2

3}, Zifeng Zhu^{1

2

3}, Zhongdao Wu^{1

2

3}, Xi Sun^{1

2

3}, Lifu Wang^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Parasitology of Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Biological Vector Control, Guangzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Medical Department, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, China.
⁶ School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

The gastrointestinal microbiota is a multi-faceted system that is unraveling novel contributors to the development and progression of several diseases. Berberine has been used to treat obesity, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and metabolic diseases in China. There are also clinical trials regarding berberine use in cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and endocrine diseases. Berberine elicits clinical benefits at standard doses and has low toxicity. The mechanism underlying the role of berberine in lipid-lowering and insulin resistance is incompletely understood, but one of the possible mechanisms is related to its effect on the gastrointestinal microbiota. An extensive search in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Sciences, Science Direct) was used to identify the role of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the berberine treatment. The aim of this review was to summarize the pharmacologic effects of berberine on animals and humans by regulation of the gastrointestinal microbiota.

Keywords: berberine; diabetes; hyperlipidemia; intestinal flora; obesity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Atherosclerosis*
Berberine* / pharmacology
China
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Humans
Insulin Resistance*

Substances

Berberine