Berberine (chloride)

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that has been found in C. fenestratum and has diverse biological activities.^1,2,3,4,5 It induces frameshift mutations and gene crossovers in haploid and diploid strains of S. cerevisiae in the exponential growth phase, respectively, when used at a concentration of 50 µg/ml.² Berberine is active against the S. aureus strains ATCC 25922 and NCTC 8530 (MIC = 250 µg/ml for both).³ It decreases contusion volume, ventricle enlargement, and neurological deficits in a mouse model of controlled cortical impact-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) when administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg.⁴ Berberine (50 mg/kg) reduces serum LDL cholesterol levels in hamsters fed a high-fat high-cholesterol diet.⁵

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Malhotra, S., Taneja, S.C., and Dhar, K.L. Minor alkaloid from Coscinium fenestratum. Phytochem. 28(7), 1998-1999 (1989).

2. Pasqual, M.S., Lauer, C.P., Moyna, P., et al. Genotoxicity of the isoquinoline alkaloid berberine in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Mutat. Res. 286(2), 243-252 (1993).

3. Iwasa, K., Kamigauchi, M., Ueki, M., et al. Antibacterial activity and structure-activity relationships of berberine analogs. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 31(6), 469-478 (1996).

4. Chen, C.C., Hung, T.H., Lee, C.Y., et al. Berberine protects against neuronal damage via suppression of glia-mediated inflammation in traumatic brain injury. PLoS One 9(12), e115694 (2014).

5. Kong, W., Wei, J., Abidi, P., et al. Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins. Nat. Med. 10(12), 1344-1351 (2004).