title: [Inhibitory action of berberine on glucose absorption].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. panguoyu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Guo-yu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Guang-ji
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhi-jiang
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao-chen
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Xiao-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D001599:Berberine; D008320:Maltose; D013393:Sucrase; D005947:Glucose