Title:Berberine: A Promising Natural Isoquinoline Alkaloid for the Development of Hypolipidemic Drugs
Volume: 20
Issue: 28
Author(s): Dong-Dong Li, Pan Yu, Wei Xiao*, Zhen-Zhong Wang*Lin-Guo Zhao*
Affiliation:
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 58 Haichang South Road, Lianyungang 222001,China
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 58 Haichang South Road, Lianyungang 222001,China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037,China
Keywords:
Berberine, Hypolipidemic activity, Physicochemical property, Cholesterol, Triglyceride, Bioavailability, Chemical
modification.
Abstract: Berberine, as a representative isoquinoline alkaloid, exhibits significant hypolipidemic activity
in both animal models and clinical trials. Recently, a large number of studies on the lipid-lowering
mechanism of berberine and studies for improving its hypolipidemic activity have been reported, but for
the most part, they have been either incomplete or not comprehensive. In addition, there have been a few
specific reviews on the lipid-reducing effect of berberine. In this paper, the physicochemical properties,
the lipid-lowering mechanism, and studies of the modification of berberine all are discussed to promote
the development of berberine as a lipid-lowering agent. Subsequently, this paper provides some insights
into the deficiencies of berberine in the study of lipid-lowering drug, and based on the situation, some
proposals are put forward.