Speaking of berberine, everyone may be a little unfamiliar, but everyone must know a familiar saying: A dumb person eats coptis – he can’t tell the pain! That’s right, the main bitter component in coptis is berberine, which is berberine hydrochloride.
berberine
Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid – C20H19NO5 extracted from Coptis chinensis. It exists in plants of 10 genera and 4 families including the Berberidaceae. Yellow needle-shaped crystals can be precipitated from diethyl ether, with a melting point of 145°C. They are soluble in water and insoluble in benzene, diethyl ether and chloroform.
Modern pharmacological research has confirmed that berberine has significant anti-heart failure, anti-arrhythmia, lowering cholesterol, anti-vascular smooth muscle proliferation, improving insulin resistance, anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory and other effects. Therefore, it may be useful in cardiovascular and nervous system diseases. Its broad and important application prospects have attracted increasing attention. According to the latest clinical research, berberine has good effects on preventing and treating hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, arrhythmia, tumors and other diseases. Berberine hydrochloride has been reported most in reducing blood lipids. BBR can regulate the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor LDLR and promote the absorption of LDL protein by liver cells. BBR is converted into dihydroberberine (dhBBR) by the nitroreductase of intestinal flora gut microbiota, making it easily absorbed by the intestines. After absorption, it is oxidized into BBR in intestinal tissue and enters the blood. Achieve lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects. BBR can also improve energy metabolism. Oral administration of BBR prompts gut microbiota to produce butyrate, which enters the blood and acts on SCFAs (short chain fatty acids), reducing blood lipids and blood sugar levels.
Structural formula
BBR can promote the regeneration of pancreatic islet cells and has more advantages than other anti-diabetic drugs. Relevant clinical trials have proven that berberine can inhibit myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats; BBR has anti-platelet effects, can increase the nucleotide content in platelets and inhibit aggregation. Berberine combined with statins plays an important role in stabilizing plasma trimethylamine oxidation in coronary heart disease and inhibiting the formation of atherosclerosis.
relevant picture