MAGNIFICENT MERCOLA: Berberine May Ease Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Berberine — an alkaloid compound found in goldenseal — has powerful antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antidiarrheal, antineoplastic, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and immune-enhancing properties
• Having similar mechanisms of action as the drug metformin, berberine can be used as an oral hypoglycemic for Type 2 diabetics
• Berberine improves blood lipid levels, lowers blood pressure, improves liver function and gut health, and can be useful in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and others
• Many of berberine's health benefits have been linked to its ability to activate AMPK, an enzyme and metabolic master switch that helps regulate metabolism. AMPK is also an important neuroprotector
• Berberine also benefits your psychological well-being and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression by increasing key neurotransmitters and inhibiting glutamate

Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published April 5, 2018.

Berberine — a yellow-colored alkaloid compound found in several different plants, including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape and tree turmeric — has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antidiarrheal, antineoplastic, antidiabetic and immune-enhancing¹ properties. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine, and many of its historical uses now have scientific backing.

For example, it's effective against a wide range of bacteria, protozoa and fungi, and is commonly used to treat gastrointestinal issues, including traveler's diarrhea and that from food poisoning. Having similar mechanisms of action as the drug metformin, berberine can also be used as an oral hypoglycemic for Type 2 diabetics.

It's helpful against seasonal allergies and even helps combat metastatic stem cells and heart failure. Many integrative health practitioners swear by berberine as a general health supplement due to its ability to address such a wide variety of maladies.² As noted by Dr. Michael Murray, a naturopath who is regarded as one of the world's leading authorities on natural medicine:³

"… I think [berberine] is poised to be the biggest thing in the natural product industry … Here is why: Berberine has been shown to:

• Produce results in clinical trials in improving Type 2 diabetes on par or better than conventional drugs including metformin.
• Improve blood lipid levels better than statins.
• Lower blood pressure in many subjects as well as any class of antihypertensive medication.
• Improve liver function and promote anti-obesity effects.
• Exert significant beneficial effects on digestive health and the microbiome.
• Produce very encouraging experimental data in a wide range of modern health issues including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and others."

Berberine Eases Side Effects Associated With Drug Withdrawal

Berberine has also been shown to activate Sigma1 receptors, a subclass of opioid receptors that react to morphine and similar substances — including those produced naturally in your body — and inhibits glutamate, thereby improving anxiety and depression.¹¹ Sigma1 receptors play a role in oxidative stress, the functioning of your nervous system and the survival of neurons, and as such are believed to influence neuropsychiatric problems, including psychotic conditions.¹²

A study¹³ published in the Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology assessed berberine's effect on not just depression and anxiety but also on the noradrenergic system. Here, they used morphine-addicted rats to see whether berberine might ease morphine withdrawal — symptoms of which often include depression and anxiety. As explained by the authors:

"Male rats were exposed to chronic, intermittent, escalating morphine (10~50 mg/kg) for 10 days. After the last morphine injection, depression- and anxiety-like behavior associated with morphine discontinuation persisted for at least three days during withdrawal without any change in ambulatory activity.

"Daily berberine administration significantly decreased immobility in the forced swimming test and increased open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze test …

"Taken together, these findings demonstrated that berberine administration significantly reduced morphine withdrawal-associated behaviors … possibly through modulation of hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing factor and the central noradrenergic system. Berberine may be a useful agent for treating or alleviating complex withdrawal symptoms and preventing morphine use relapses."

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• One of OCA's major endeavors is the Billion Agave Project, an ecosystem-regeneration strategy being used by Mexican farms to turn agave into inexpensive animal feed
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