The Biochemical Effects of Berberine on Hyperlipidemia and Insulin Resistance in Rats Fed High Fat Diet

Hyrperlipidemia refers to a metabolic disorder characterized by alterations in serum lipid and lipoprotein patterns as low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c) and is also identified as dyslipidemia which is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DMS). Berberine is a alkaloid plant with a long history of medicinal uses in both traditional and Chinese medicine. Our study was carried out on 40 male albino rats. Hyperlipidemia was induced by feeding rats high fat diet for 8 weeks after which insulin resistance was developed as aconsequance to hyperlipidemia. Berberine chloride was administered orally after induction of hyperlipidemia for 2 weeks by stomach tube. Our result showed that serum lipid profile (TAG, TC, LDL-c) increased while HDL-c level was decrease moreover blood glucose level, insulin level, fructosamine level, HbA1c level and HOMA-IR level increased at end of 8 weeks after development of hyperlipidemia. Addition of berberine chloride showed protective effect as decreased serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-c levels and increased HDL-c level more over it reduced insulin, glucose, fructosamine, HbA1c and HOMA-IR levels. In conclusion, administration of berberine chloride showed desirable and promising hypolipidemia and hypoglycemia activity.