[Inhibitory action of berberine on glucose absorption].
OBJECTIVE
To study the absorption characteristics of berberine and its influence on glucose absorption.


METHODS
Rat recirculating perfusion model was used to study berberine absorption characteristics and Caco-2 cell model was used to explore the influence of berberine on disaccharidase, using HPLC to assay the appearance of glucose to indicate enzyme activities.


RESULTS
Berberine was found to be hardly absorbed in the intestine (less than 5% in 2.5 h). However, sucrase and maltase activities were found to be inhibited by berberine, its ID50 to sucrase is 1.830 mg.L-1, and showed no dose dependent influence on maltase activity. Berberine also showed influence on glucose absorption. However, this effect is not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Berberine may act as an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, which is its main mechanism in diabetes treatment.
Pan
Guo-yu
GY
Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. panguoyu@hotmail.com
Wang
Guang-ji
GJ
Sun
Jian-guo
JG
Huang
Zhi-jiang
ZJ
Zhao
Xiao-chen
XC
Gu
Yi
Y
Liu
Xiao-dong
XD
D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D005947:Glucose / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008320:Maltose / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism
D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D001599:Berberine; D008320:Maltose; D013393:Sucrase; D005947:Glucose