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Isoquinoline plant alkaloid that activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK); trials show blood-glucose-lowering effects in type 2 diabetes approaching those of metformin, though GI side effects are common.
LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and lipid profile management.
Also known as: Berberine HCl
Every published result for this pair, extracted and audited.
These charts group published studies by what they reported and how they were run — green marks studies that reported a benefit for this pairing. Tiers run from pooled analyses of many trials (strongest) to one-off observational reports.
Direction of reported outcomes for Berberine in cholesterol.
Study designs behind these findings.
Outcomes reported as percentage changes for Berberine. Other units sit in the table above.
Every measured outcome, one row per finding - numbers exactly as reported.
| Study | Design | n | Duration | Outcome measured | Reported result | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | 127 | 4 to 24 weeks | Apolipoprotein B | -0.25 g/L (95% CI -0.40 to -0.11) | Benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | - | 4 to 24 weeks | Gastrointestinal adverse events | 2-23% vs 2-15% | Harm / risk |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | - | 4 to 24 weeks | HDL cholesterol (men) | -0.07 mmol/L (95% CI -0.16 to 0.02) | No benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | 1471 | 4 to 24 weeks | HDL cholesterol (overall) | 0.06 mmol/L (95% CI 0.00 to 0.11) | Benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | - | 4 to 24 weeks | HDL cholesterol (women) | 0.11 mmol/L (95% CI 0.09 to 0.13) | Benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | 1447 | 4 to 24 weeks | LDL cholesterol | -0.46 mmol/L (95% CI -0.62 to -0.30) | Benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | 1637 | 4 to 24 weeks | Total cholesterol | -0.48 mmol/L (95% CI -0.63 to -0.33) | Benefit |
| PMID 36941490 2023 | Meta-analysis | 1661 | 4 to 24 weeks | Triglycerides | -0.34 mmol/L (95% CI -0.46 to -0.23) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | Fasting plasma glucose | 5.6 mm/liter (P < 0.0001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | - | 3 months | Glucose disposal rate | reported qualitatively (P = 0.063) | No benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | HbA1c | 6.6 % (P < 0.0001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol | 2.55 mm/liter (P <0.0001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | Postload plasma glucose | 8.9 mm/liter (P < 0.0001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | Total cholesterol | 4.35 mm/liter (P < 0.0001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18397984 2008 | Randomised trial | One hundred sixteen | 3 months | Triglyceride | 1.61 mm/liter (P = 0.001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 36 | 3-month | Fasting blood glucose in study A | 6.9 mmol/L (P<.01) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 48 | 3-month | Fasting plasma insulin in study B | 28.1% reduction (P<.001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 36 | 3-month | Hemoglobin A1c in study A | 7.5% post-treatment value (P<.01) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 48 | 3-month | Hemoglobin A1c in study B | 7.3% post-treatment value (P<.001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 48 | 3-month | Insulin resistance index in study B | 44.7% reduction (P<.001) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 36 | 3-month | Postprandial blood glucose in study A | 11.1 mmol/L (P<.01) | Benefit |
| PMID 18442638 2008 | Randomised trial | 36 | 3-month | Triglycerides in study A | 0.89 mmol/L (P<.05) | Benefit |
Hand-selected PubMed studies, linked to the originals.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Adjunctive berberine for schizophrenia with metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysisXie K, et al. · Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026PMID 42433212 ↗02Clinical Efficacy of Curcumin, Resveratrol, Silymarin, and Berberine on Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systemic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-AnalysisMiao R, et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2025PMID 40439602 ↗03Efficacy and safety of berberine on the components of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trialsLiu D, et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025PMID 40740996 ↗04The Effect of Berberine Supplementation on Glycemic Control and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Metabolic Disorders: An Umbrella Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsBe the first to share what you noticed with Berberine for cholesterol. How we calculate this.