Indication: Type 2 diabetes/high cholesterol


Source: J Clin Endocrinol Metab, Apr 8, 2008 [Epub ahead of print]

Research: Researchers in China conducted a study on 116 subjects with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. They were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or berberine (1 gram daily) for a period of 3 months. Researchers were looking for changes in plasma glucose and changes in serum lipid concentrations.

Results: The results revealed that fasting blood glucose levels decreased from 7.0 to 5.6 mm/L, post load sugar levels decreased from 12.0 to 8.0 mm/L, and HbA1c (a measure of long-term diabetes control) decreased from 7.5% to 6.6% in patients receiving berberine. It was also noted that triglyceride levels decreased from 2.5 to 1.6 mm/L, total cholesterol decreased from 5.3 to 4.4 mm/L, and LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased from 3.2 to 2.6 mm/L during the course of the study in patients receiving berberine. This led the authors to conclude that berberine may be a safe and effective treatment option for type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, although larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.