Antimicrobial Natural Product Berberine Is Efficacious for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Table 1

Characteristics of PAF patients by berberine and amiodarone groups.

Category	Berberine	Amiodarone	Significance
Age (year)			NS
Male	28 (62.2%)	27 (62.8%)	NS
Duration (hour)	48	46	NS
Frequency (time/month)	5.5	6.3	NS
History (month)	9.5	9.3	NS
Smoking status
Never smoking	22 (48.9%)	20 (46.6%)	NS
Smoking < 5 year	8 (17.8%)	9 (21%)	NS
Smoking ≥ 5 year	15 (33.4%)	14 (32.6%)	NS
K (mmol/L)	4.1	4.2	NS
Mg (mmol/L)	1.0	1.1	NS
TSH (u/ml)	1.5	1.4	NS
ALT (u/ml)	17	18	NS
AST (u/ml)	16	18
CR (µmol/L)	76	74	NS
PT (sec)	12.2	12.8	NS
INR	0.92	0.95	NS
NYHA classification
ΙΙ	31	29	NS
ΙΙΙ	14	14	NS
Concomitant CVD
CAD	39	36	NS
DCM	6	7	NS
HTN	41	40	NS
HF	2	3	NS
Concomitant medication
Aspirin	21	20	NS
Nitrates	22	21	NS
ACE inhibitors	41	41	NS
Statins	21	20	NS

Notes. ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase; CAD, coronary artery disease; CR, creatinine; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy; HF, heart failure; HTN, hypertension; INR, international normalized ratio; K, potassium; Mg, magnesium; NS, nonsignificant between groups; NYHA, New York Heart Association; PT, prothrombin time; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone.