What is Berberine?
Berberine is a phytochemical found in goldenseal and many medicinal plants, and recognized by its bright yellow color.
What is Berberine Good For?
Well, to hear it straight from the folks publishing in Drug Metabolism Reviews, “Berberine, a bioactive alkaloid isolated from several herbal substances, possesses multiple pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer activities. Meanwhile, berberine undergoes extensive metabolism after oral administration which results in its extremely low plasma exposure. Therefore, it is believed that the metabolites of berberine also contribute a lot to its pharmacological effects…Active metabolites such as columbamine, berberrubine and demethyleneberberine also exhibit similar pharmacological effects by comparison with berberine, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects.
So, it sounds about like a miracle compound (!) – protects your liver, fights tumors, regulates blood sugar, kills aggressive germs, reduces inflammation and other damage to cells. This is why the plants which contain this compound-of-many-uses have been honored by plant-medicine traditions for centuries, including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and others.
Is Berberine found in Goldenseal?
Well, yes in fact! Berberine is found in goldenseal and all of these plants below and more.
You can find our berberine-rich goldenseal tincture here:
How does berberine fit in to the JTP (Joe Tippens Protocol) and other anti-cancer health support?
We all are seeing the way now that in the vast sea of toxicity of our modern life, ‘everything causes cancer.’ Or at least that its about impossible in this modern life to avoid some of the things that do. So, how can we support our cellular health to encourage prevention and healing from cancer? First, I would recommend the book The Metabolic Approach to Cancer and the work of Dr. Nasha.
But for tumor-based cancer, we have observed much attention and interest surrounding the Joe Tippens Protocol. Both the “Terrain” approach and the JTP approach recognize, as he puts it “cancer cells are glucose monsters…Berberine modifies glucose metabolism.” Berberine is also recognized as an important blood sugar regulator for people who have other ‘metabolic syndromes’ like obesity or diabetes. One controlled study determined, “The combined application of berberine in patients with metabolic syndrome can effectively regulate blood glucose and blood lipid of patients, alleviate insulin resistance and reduce the level of inflammatory response in the body.” This capacity is part of the mode of action by which goldenseal weakens tumors by starving them of sugar.
What are the other benefits of goldenseal?
Co-occurring compounds in goldenseal may amplify the effect of the berberine, and the plant has myriad uses. Goldenseal has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal AND antiparasitic modes of action. According to The Botanical Institute,
“a test-tube study showed that a goldenseal extract had antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sanguis, S. mutans, S. pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli.
… Goldenseal is one of the most important antifungal herbs. Research shows that goldenseal is effective against a variety of fungi, including Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum gypseum.
A number of in vitro studies suggest that berberine (found in Goldenseal) has antiviral activity against a variety of viruses, including influenza, herpes simplex, cytomegalo, chikungunya, and Enterovirus.
Goldenseal also has antiparasitic activity against various protozoan parasites, including Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Leishmania donovani.
https://botanicalinstitute.org/goldenseal/
So, it’s utility is broad. You can learn more by reaching out to our consulting clinical herbalist Andrew Ozinskas through our regular contact form if you want to set up a web or phone-based appointment with him.