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Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of Berberine
Flora Affuso, Valentina Mercurio, Valeria Fazio, Serafino Fazio, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunologic Sciences, University of Naples Federico II School of Medicine, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Affuso F and Mercurio V contributed equally in the research, writing the paper and providing references; Fazio V contributed to the research and provided the references; Fazio S revised the paper.
Correspondence to: Serafino Fazio, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunologic Sciences, University of Naples Federico II School of Medicine, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. fazio@unina.it
Telephone: +39-81-7463737 Fax: +39-81-7463737
Received: February 27, 2010
Revised: March 22, 2010
Accepted: March 26, 2010
Published online: April 26, 2010
Revised: March 22, 2010
Accepted: March 26, 2010
Published online: April 26, 2010
Abstract
Berberine (BBR) is a natural alkaloid isolated from the Coptis Chinensis. While this plant has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for more than 2500 years, interest in its effects in metabolic and cardiovascular disease has been growing in the Western world in the last decade. Many papers have been published in these years reporting beneficial effects in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, endothelial function and the cardiovascular system. In this review, we report a detailed analysis of the scientific literature regarding this topic, describing the effects and the underlying mechanisms of BBR on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, endothelial function and the cardiovascular system.
Keywords: Metabolic syndrome; Berberine; Adenosine monophosphate kinase; Insulin resistance; Hyperlipidemia; Endothelial function