Berberine
berberine
Also known as: berberine
Definition: A heteroquinoline alkaloid isolated from the berberis amurensis of the barberry family berberis amurensis, which is fused from two isoquinolines. Has antibacterial effect.
Discipline: Botany_Phytochemistry_Main chemical components of plants
Image source: Visual China
【Further reading】
The composition of berberine is a tetravalent alkaloid, yellow needle-like crystal with a bitter taste, which can be extracted from a variety of plants (such as huanglian, yellow cedar, three needles, etc.). Berberine has an inhibitory effect on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes in gram-positive bacteria, and Dysentery bacilli and Salmonella in gram-negative bacteria, among which shigella has the strongest antibacterial effect, and also has a certain effect on hemolytic streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae, Neisseria meningitidis, Salmonella typhi, Corynebacter diphtheria, etc. The bacteriostatic effect on bacteria is weak, but it is effective for intestinal infections caused by dysentery bacillus and E. coli. Therefore, the hydrochloride of berberine (berberine hydrochloride) is often used to treat intestinal infections such as gastroenteritis and bacterial dysentery caused by susceptible pathogens.
According to relevant studies, berberine also has some new uses, such as resistance to various types of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias (including ventricular premature beats), which can alleviate acute and chronic congestive heart failure and heart failure caused by pulmonary heart disease; it can significantly increase the blood concentration of cyclosporine, so that the dosage of the latter is significantly reduced.
In China, berberine is only used as oral administration, and intravenous administration is contraindicated. Dispersible tablets can be taken directly orally, or they can be mixed in an appropriate amount of warm boiled water and taken after stirring well. Patients should take the medication as directed by their doctor.
Oral berberine has fewer adverse reactions, and occasional nausea, vomiting, rash and drug fever may occur, and disappear after discontinuation. However, sleepiness, sluggishness, inattention, fatigue and dizziness may occur, and hallucinations, vision loss, and difficulty urinating may occur rarely. It is contraindicated in people with berberine allergy, contraindicated in children with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (because berberine can cause hemolytic anemia), and used with caution in pregnant and lactating women. In addition, berberine hydrochloride tablets should be avoided at the same time as traditional Chinese medicine containing tannin, because tannin is an alkaloid precipitator, and the combination of the two will produce insoluble tannicate precipitation, reducing the efficacy.
Editor-in-Charge: Tang Ke