Berberine in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health

Berberine is a highly versatile botanical with extensive physiological activity resulting from its ability to interact with numerous enzyme systems, receptor sites, and cell signaling pathways. Both pre-clinical and clinical studies continue to shed light on berberine's therapeutic potential, corroborating many of its traditional uses. Berberine has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can help regulate certain metabolic processes. For example, studies show that berberine may improve insulin resistance, support insulin secretion, inhibit lipogenesis, and rebalance the gut microbiome. The roster of novel molecular targets that berberine influences continues to be discovered, with its ability to regulate adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels and induce AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) being chief among them. AMPK activity, which declines with age, is crucial for the proper functioning of cellular metabolism.