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Berberine is a chemical found in some plants like European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric.
Berberine is a bitter-tasting and yellow-colored chemical. It might help strengthen the heartbeat, which could benefit people with certain heart conditions. It might also kill bacteria, help regulate how the body uses sugar in the blood, and help reduce swelling.
People most commonly use berberine for diabetes, high levels of cholesterol or other fats in the blood, and high blood pressure. It is also used for burns, canker sores, liver disease, and many other conditions but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these uses.
- Canker sores. Some evidence shows that berberine gel applied to canker sores may reduce pain and the size of the sores, but it has not been compared to conventional treatments.
Login for details - Diabetes. Berberine seems to moderately reduce blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes; it may provide additional benefit when given with conventional medications.
Login for details - Helicobacter pylori. Oral berberine, when taken with amoxicillin and a proton pump inhibitor with or without clarithromycin, might be as effective as bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BQT) for eradication of Helicobacter pylori.
Login for details - Hyperlipidemia. Clinical research shows that taking berberine orally, alone or in combination with other ingredients, reduces total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides, and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Login for details - Hypertension. Berberine may have added benefits for reducing blood pressure when used in combination with amlodipine.
Login for details - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Berberine may improve some metabolic characteristics in women with PCOS and insulin resistance. It may also increase live births, although the data are conflicting.
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- Antipsychotic-induced metabolic side effects. It is unclear if oral berberine is beneficial in patients with antipsychotic-induced metabolic side effects.
Login for details - Atrial fibrillation. Limited research suggests that oral berberine might prevent atrial fibrillation shortly after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
Login for details - Biliary disorders. It is unclear if oral berberine is beneficial in patients with biliary disorders.
Login for details - Burns. Topical berberine has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unclear if berberine is beneficial in patients with CVD.
Login for details - Cholera. Although taking a single dose of berberine may be modestly beneficial for reducing stool volume, using berberine daily with tetracycline does not seem to provide added benefit.
Login for details - Colorectal adenoma. Berberine may help prevent adenoma recurrence after polypectomy.
Login for details - Congestive heart failure (CHF). Berberine may provide additional benefit to patients with CHF who are taking conventional medications.
Login for details - Coronary heart disease (CHD). Oral berberine has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Diarrhea. Limited data suggest that berberine may be helpful for diarrhea caused by bacteria.
Login for details - Glaucoma. It is unclear if berberine is beneficial for glaucoma when used as an eye drop.
Login for details - Hepatitis B. It is unclear if berberine is beneficial for improving liver function in people with hepatitis B.
Login for details - Hepatitis C. It is unclear if berberine is beneficial for improving liver function in people with this form of hepatitis.
Login for details - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). One small clinical study suggests that oral berberine may be beneficial in people with diarrhea-predominant IBS.
Login for details - Menopausal symptoms. Oral berberine has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Metabolic syndrome. Berberine may reduce some of the signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome, but the evidence is weak.
Login for details - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Oral berberine may improve some measures of liver function and blood lipids in people with NAFLD.
Login for details - Obesity. Oral berberine may produce modest weight loss in people who are obese.
Login for details - Radiation-induced diarrhea. One small study suggests that oral berberine may reduce diarrhea associated with radiation-induced intestinal damage.
Login for details - Radiation fibrosis. It is unclear if oral berberine is beneficial for reducing radiation-induced lung damage.
Login for details - Thrombocytopenia. It is unclear if oral berberine is beneficial for improving platelet counts in people with this condition.
Login for details - Trachoma. It is unclear if berberine is beneficial for trachoma when administered as eye drops.
Login for details - Ulcerative colitis. It is unclear of oral berberine is beneficial for improving symptoms of this condition.
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When taken by mouth: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults. It's been used safely in doses up to 1.5 grams daily for 6 months. Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, gas, and upset stomach.
When applied to the skin: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults when used short-term.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy: It's likely unsafe to take berberine by mouth if you are pregnant. Berberine can cross the placenta and might cause harm to the fetus. Kernicterus, a type of brain damage, has developed in newborn infants exposed to berberine.Breast-feeding: It's likely unsafe to take berberine if you are breast-feeding. Berberine can be transferred to the infant through breast milk, and it might cause harm.
Children: It's likely unsafe to give berberine to newborns. It can cause kernicterus, a rare type of brain damage that can occur in newborns who have severe jaundice. There isn't enough reliable information to know if berberine is safe in older children.
High bilirubin levels in the blood in infants: Bilirubin is a chemical that is produced when old red blood cells break down. It is normally removed by the liver. Berberine may keep the liver from removing bilirubin fast enough. This can cause brain problems, especially in infants with high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Avoid using.
Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.
Berberine might decrease how quickly the body breaks down cyclosporine. This might increase the effects and side effects of cyclosporine.
Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM, others)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might decrease how quickly the body breaks down dextromethorphan. This might increase the effects and side effects of dextromethorphan.
Losartan (Cozaar)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
The liver activates losartan to make it work. Berberine might decrease how quickly the body activates it, which might decrease the effects of losartan.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) substrates)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Berberine might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) substrates)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Berberine might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Berberine might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might lower blood sugar levels. Taking berberine along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might lower blood pressure. Taking berberine along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might slow blood clotting. Taking berberine along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Metformin (Glucophage)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might increase the amount of metformin in the body. This may increase its effects and side effects. This interaction seems to occur when berberine is taken around 2 hours before metformin. Taking berberine and metformin at the same time doesn't appear to increase the amount of metformin in the body.
Midazolam (Versed)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
The body breaks down midazolam to get rid of it. Berberine can decrease how quickly the body breaks it down. This might increase the effects and side effects of midazolam.
Pentobarbital (Nembutal)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Pentobarbital is a medication that can cause sleepiness. Berberine might also cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Taking berberine with pentobarbital might cause too much sleepiness.
Sedative medications (CNS depressants)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Berberine might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking berberine with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.
Tacrolimus (Prograf)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Tacrolimus is removed from the body by the liver. Berberine might slow down the body's ability to remove tacrolimus. This might increase the effects and side effects of tacrolimus.
Cannabidiol (CBD): Taking berberine and CBD together might cause heart rhythm problems at high doses. CBD might also slow down the body's ability to remove berberine. This might increase the effects and side effects of berberine.
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood pressure: Berberine might lower blood pressure. Taking it with other supplements that have the same effect might cause blood pressure to drop too much. Examples of supplements with this effect include andrographis, casein peptides, L-arginine, niacin, and stinging nettle.
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: Berberine might lower blood sugar. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might lower blood sugar too much. Examples of supplements with this effect include aloe, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, chromium, and prickly pear cactus.
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting: Berberine might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might increase the risk of bleeding in some people. Examples of supplements with this effect include garlic, ginger, ginkgo, nattokinase, and Panax ginseng.
Herbs and supplements with sedative properties: Berberine might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking it along with other supplements with similar effects might cause too much sleepiness and/or slowed breathing in some people. Examples of supplements with this effect include hops, kava, L-tryptophan, melatonin, and valerian.
Probiotics: Probiotics are living organisms. Berberine might kill certain probiotics. If taken together, berberine might reduce how well probiotic supplements work.
There are no known interactions with foods.
Berberine has most often been used by adults in doses of 0.4-1.5 grams by mouth daily for up to 2 years. Berberine has also been used in eye drops and gels. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
Alcaloïde de Berbérine, Berberina, Berbérine, Berberine Alkaloid, Berberine Complex, Berberine Sulfate, Sulfate de Berbérine, Umbellatine.
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