Berberine: An Advancement in Effective Drugs to Treat Diabetes

Cheyenne Lewis*, Knox Van Dyke and Cinthia Pacheco, Department of Biochemistry, Office of Undergraduate Research, West Virginia University, Morantown, WV 26505

Field (Broad Category): Biochemistry (Health Sciences) 

Student’s Major: Biochemistry 

Diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, has become one of the most common public health challenges due to its increasing prevalence worldwide, including the US. The CDC reported that in 2018, 10.5% of the US population was affected by the disease and one third was prediabetic. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that causes a variety of complications in different tissues and organs. The management of the disease involves lifestyle changes and, in most cases, the use of different drugs to control blood sugar levels. Currently, the drugs prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes fails after long term administration, therefore, the search for new drugs is needed. Researchers have been investigating a substance, named Berberine, to aid in the treatment of diabetes. Berberine is a purified herbal compound that has been used as an OTC drug to treat conditions such as diarrhea, dysentery, and stomatitis. Recently, Berberine has shown glucose-lowering effects and increased insulin sensitivity in diabetics. However, studies have shown that Berberine is not well absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration due to its molecular structure, which could hinder its use as a potential antidiabetic agent. Studies with a modified, uncharged, and more absorbable molecule called Dihydroberberine, have been conducted and have shown promising results. Development of different formulations containing either Berberine or Dihydroberberine has also been performed. The results of these studies can help to bring to the market a new and more effective drug in the management of type 2 diabetes. 

Funding: 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course