berberine

American  

[bur-buh-reen] / ˈbɜr bəˌrin /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a white or yellow, crystalline, water-soluble alkaloid, C 20 H 19 NO 5 , derived from barberry or goldenseal, used as an antipyrotic, antibacterial, and stomachic.

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berberine British  

/ ˈbɜːbəˌriːn /

noun

1. a yellow bitter-tasting alkaloid obtained from barberry and other plants and used medicinally, esp in tonics. Formula: C 20 H 19 NO 5

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Etymology

Origin of berberine

1860–65; < New Latin Berber ( is ) ( see berberidaceous) + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

He added many supplements have “antibacterial properties,” like garlic, peppermint, berberine and probiotics, which could treat bacterial overgrowth, but don't have the scientific evidence to support them.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2024

That includes berberine, which has been dubbed “nature’s own Ozempic.”

From Scientific American • Sep. 15, 2023

For instance, mixing berberine and Metformin, a medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes, can be particularly dangerous, Hopp said, because the Metformin could act more potently and the combination could potentially cause hypoglycemia.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 12, 2023

More recently, researchers have looked to berberine as a potential aid in treating conditions like high blood pressure and insulin resistance.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 12, 2023

It differs from paricine in its proportion of hydrogen, and from berberine in containing more carbon.

From The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by Thomas, Jerome Beers