Randomized Controlled Trial of Berberine Sulfate Therapy for Diarrhea Due to Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae

Abstract

To evaluate the antisecretory activity of berberine sulfate (BS), we studied 165 adult patients with acute diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Vibrio cholerae in randomized controlled trials. In patients with ETEC diarrhea who received 400 mg of BS in a single oral dose, the mean stool volumes were significantly less than those of the controls during three consecutive 8-hr periods after treatment (P less than .05). At 24 hr after treatment, significantly more patients who were treated with BS and had ETEC diarrhea stopped having diarrhea as compared with the controls (42% vs 20%, P less than .05). In patients with cholera who received 400 mg of BS, the mean 8-hr stool volume during the second 8-hr period after treatment declined to 2.22 liters, which was significantly less than the 2.79 liters found in the controls (P less than .05). However, patients with cholera who received 1200 mg of BS plus tetracycline did not have significant reduction in stool output compared with patients who received tetracycline alone. No side effects of BS were noted. These results indicated that BS is an effective and safe antisecretory drug for ETEC diarrhea, whereas the activity against cholera is slight and not additive with tetracycline.

Regulation of Th1 and Th17 Cell Differentiation and Amelioration of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Natural Product Compound Berberine

“…It also exhibits antitumor, antimicrobial, and even antidiabetic effects (31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). Moreover, a recent report suggested that BBR may be efficacious in experimental type I diabetes (37), raising the possibility of its use as a treatment for autoimmune diseases.…”

Requirement of the Lipopolysaccharide O-Chain Biosynthesis Gene wxocB for Type III Secretion and Virulence of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzicola

“…Ϫ was less sensitive than BLS303 to the third compound, the phytoalexin berberine, an alkaloid found in herbs such as berberis and goldenseal (46). The fourth compound, the phytoalexin cafestol, is a diterpene isolated from the bean of Coffea arabica (47).…”

Potential Therapeutic Molecular Targets for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

“…It is traditionally used in China to treat gastrointestinal diseases such as dysentery and diarrhea. Clinical studies conducted in 1985 and 1987 have shown that berberine is considered to be a non-toxic alkaloid and is useful for the treatment of bacterial diarrhea (136,242). Berberine also has anti-fungal (76), anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (53), and anti-protozoan properties (131).…”