Berberine is an old remedy and a modern supplement
it has antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties.
Berberine is a naturally occurring compound that is extracted from several plants. These include European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric.
Berberine is of bitter taste and yellowish color. Its color gave it its usability as a wool, wood, and leather coloring agent. Sometimes even for stabilizing samples in histology, it is clear to distinguish patterns if it is a bit yellowish.
According to scientists, it has antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties.
So it can cure infections. It can help people with type 2 diabetes. It lowers cancer risk. Some evidence even suggests it helps with the heart. Because berberine is broken down in your body quite fast, scientists tried to look at what these metabolites (broken parts) do. They found the parts help the same, having anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor properties.
So looking at the vendor, it is usually sold at 500 mg or 1000mg dosage. It is usually mixed with inulin, Curcuma, or black pepper extract.
This is semi-predictable, as some studies have indicated that it is best used with some probiotics. Probably, because it does its thing in the gut. So enabling the gut biome and bacteria to break it down faster makes its bioavailability probably better.
Berberine is not an unknown supplement, although search popularity is still rising. The current volume is around 91,000 searches per month in the USA.
Berberine is actually not a new drug. Extracts from plants that have more of it have been used in folks' medicine. Ground, cooked in solutions, pastes, and creams have been used for a while. In new zealand, they used the bark to treat acne. Native Americans used roots or berries as a herbal tonic to stimulate appetite. A tea-like consistency was used to treat gastrointestinal problems or coughs.
It is deemed unsafe for newborns and infants. It can mess with some prescription drugs and body enzymes. So consult your doctor if you are taking other drugs or therapies.