Abstract
Berberine (BBR) is a bioactive compound found in some plants. Plants containing BBR are used as important functional food supplements, particularly for their potent oral hypoglycemic effects and beneficial impact on lipid metabolism. Another advantage of this bioactive compound is its low toxicity and/or minimal side effects, which has captured the attention of researchers. This review focuses on the structure and toxicity of BBR, as well as the best plant sources containing this compound, to investigate the mechanisms of its antidiabetic effects and clinical effectiveness.
Keywords: Berberine, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Hypoglycemic, Metabolite, Plant sources, Clinical research