Relationship between berberine and intestinalmicrobiota modulation: Systematic review study

The gut microbiome has a crucial role in maintaining human health as it is closely linked to various physiological processes. Berberine, a bioactive compound derived from various plant species, has recently attracted great interest due to its potential health-promoting properties. Although the interactions between berberine and gut microbiota have not yet been fully elucidated, a relationship between them has been reported. This comprehensive review examines the effects of berberine on diseases of the microbial communities inhabiting the human and animal gastrointestinal tract, focusing on its contribution to the richness and diversity of the gut microbiome. It aims to explain how berberine has an impact on the treatment of disease, with a particular emphasis on its effect on the abundance and diversity of gut bacteria. The studies included in this review were searched in electronic databases. The studies included in the review cover the years 2003-2023. It has been observed that the frequency of recent studies on this subject has gradually increased. It was observed that the most studies on this subject were conducted in the last 5 years. In this review, 33 research articles selected according to the research criteria were analyzed. All of these studies were randomized controlled trials. Owing to the extremely low oral bioavailability of berberine, it is known to readily reach the intestine and interact with the gut microbiota. Berberine may exhibit exceptional antimicrobial properties by selectively targeting specific pathogenic bacteria while promoting the growth of beneficial bacterial species in the gut microbiota. Although the positive effects of berberine on the gut microbiota are promising, the observed variability in individual gut microbiota-dependent responses, its broad-spectrum antibiotic-like effect and the lack of long-term evaluation of these effects underline the need for further research in this area. Understanding the effects of berberine on the gut microbiota will help improve the efficacy of this compound in the treatment of metabolic and chronic diseases.