Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis (e.g. Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris, and Berberis aristata (Tree Turmeric)), Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal), Phellodendron amurense (Amur Cork Tree, Huang Bai, Huang Po, Po Mu) and Coptis chinensis (Chinese Goldthread, Huang-Lian, Huang-Lien), and Tinospora cordifolia, and to a smaller extent in Argemone mexicana and Eschscholzia californica (Californian Poppy). Berberine is usually found in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and bark.
1. As a traditional medicine or dietary supplement, berberine has shown some activity against fungal infections, Candida albicans, yeast, parasites, and bacterial/viral infections. Berberine seems to exert synergistic effects with fluconazole even in drug-resistant C. albicans infections.
2. Some research has been undertaken into possible use against MRSA infection.
1. It has a strong antibacterial effect on staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, Vibrio cholerae, Bacillus anthracis, and dysentery bacterium except Shigella sonnei;
2. It also has an antibacterial effect on Klebsiella pneumoniae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Bacillus subtilis, Bordetella pertussis, yersinia pestis, brucellosis, and tuberculosis;
3. It has poor antibacterial effect on E. coli, Proteus, and Salmonella typhi;
4. The berberine can stimulate the heart, increase its contractility, and increase coronary blood flow when used in small dose and suppress the heart and weaken its contraction when used in large dose;
5. The berberine can reduce the heart rate of toad and stimulate the isolated atria of rabbit, guinea pig, and rat. It can also resist arrhythmia, have good cholagogic action, inhibit gastric secretion, arrest diarrhea, prevent acute inflammation, fight cancer, reduce tissue metabolism, and so on. And small dose of berberine can strengthen the excitability process in mouse's cerebral cortex while large dose instead can strengthen the inhibition process;
6. Berberine and tetrahydroberberine can reduce myocardial oxygen consumption;
7. Berberine and its extracts have anti-ulcer effect.
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