SynthesisBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025
Berberine and health outcomes: an overview of systematic reviews.
Synthesis in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Berberrubine, a Metabolite of Berberine, Attenuates Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Inhibiting STAT3.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- TCM-based natural products in type 2 diabetes: a comprehensive review of bioactive compounds and molecular mechanisms.Molecular diversity · 2026Review
- Berberine as a Multifunctional Adjuvant in Cancer Therapy: Mechanistic Insights, Nanotechnological Strategies, and Translational Challenges.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals the Biosynthetic Mechanism of Isoquinoline Alkaloids in Different Tissues ofCurrent issues in molecular biology · 2026Article
- Molecular Mechanistic Pathways Targeted by Natural Products in the Prevention and Treatment of Alcoholic Liver Disease.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Multi-omics integration and experimental validation reveal the mechanism of berberine against triple-negative breast cancer.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Microbiota-mediated mechanisms of natural products in atherosclerosis: focus on metabolic and inflammatory pathways.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- Berberine in oral diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Clinical AI-assisted FXR prioritization and WADDAICA-guided design of a berberine-inspired analogue for MASH: integrated computational and experimental validation.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- A comprehensive review on schizophrenia: epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, conventional treatments, and proposed natural compounds used for management.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2025Review
- Navigating the Effects of Anti-Atherosclerotic Supplements and Acknowledging Associated Bleeding Risks.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Berberine pharmacological properties and therapeutic potential across cancer, digestive, metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases: an update review.EXCLI journal · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBerberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Chinese herb coptis chinensis and other berberis plants which can be used to treat a wide range of chronic diseases. However, the current research evidence on the therapeutic effects of berberine has not been summarized. We aimed to synthesize the current evidence on the systematic review (SRs) of berberine for the treatment of diverse conditions.
methodsA comprehensive search of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and SinoMed was performed from the database inception to April 11, 2024. SRs on berberine were included and evaluated. The methodological quality and the reporting quality of each SR were assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool and PRISMA checklist, respectively. The quality of evidence was appraised based on the GRADE.
resultsFifty-four SRs were included and analyzed. Overall, associations were found between berberine and 70 health outcomes concerned with 9 diseases. Berberine has improved most outcomes of these diseases: 78% (25/32) cardiovascular disease outcomes, 92.59% (25/27) type 2 diabetes mellitus outcomes, 94.74% (18/19) gastrointestinal disorders outcomes, 72.22% (13/18) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) outcomes, 86.67% (13/15) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) outcomes, 92.31% (12/13) schizophrenia outcomes, 90.91% (10/11) metabolic syndrome outcomes, 57.14% (4/7) obesity outcomes, and 100.00% (6/6) dyslipidemia outcomes. There was a high overlap of primary studies (CCA > 15%) in the SRs of PCOS, NAFLD, obesity, and schizophrenia. Only one SR was rated as high quality while eight SRs were rated as low quality and forty-five SRs as very low quality according to AMSTAR-2. Regarding the reporting quality, Item 14, 15, 21, and 22 were poorly reported for the included SRs in terms of PRSMA assessment. For GRADE, eight outcomes were rated as high quality evidence, twenty-two outcomes were rated as moderate quality, and 110 outcomes were rated as low quality.
conclusionCurrent evidence suggests that berberine has beneficial effects on a range of health outcomes for people with chronic diseases. Specifically, berberine significantly improves type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, schizophrenia, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia outcomes. However, caution is needed considering the shortcomings in the quality of the relevant system reviews included.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.