The Effect of Berberine on Metabolic Profiles in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Table 1

Specific characteristics of included trials.

Study	Participants	No. (T/C)	Age	Sex (M/F)	Course (year)	Intervention	Control	Duration (weeks)	Outcomes
Zhang et al. 2020 [15]	T2DM	98/103	T: 53 (42–61); C: 54 (46–61)	T: 59/39; C: 61/42	Newly diagnosed	Berberine 0.5 g bid	Placebo	12	①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Hu 2020 [28]	T2DM	60/58	T: C:	T: 34/26; C: 30/28	T: C:	Berberine 0.3 g tid; Metformin 0.5 g tid	Placebo; Metformin 0.5 g tid	24	①③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Sanjari et al. 2020 [26]	T2DM	42/38	T: C:	T: 18/24; C: 7/31	T: C:	Berberis integerrima root extract 480 mg	Metformin 1 g/d	12	①②③⑥⑦⑧⑨
Li et al. 2021 [20]	Prediabetes	35/35	T: C:	T: 22/13; C: 17/18	—	Berberine 0.3 g tid	Life intervention	24	①②③⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Tahmasebi et al. 2019 [27]	T2DM	40/40	T: C:	T: 17/23; C: 15/25	Less than 10 years	1000 mg dry extract and 157.3 mg berberine	Placebo	6	①②④⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Ma 2019 [24]	T2DM	50/50	T: C:	T: 31/19; C:28/22	T: C:	C+Huanglian 3 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	8	①②③④⑥⑦⑧⑨
Deng et al. 2019 [29]	T2DM	35/35	T: C:	T:23/12; C:21/14	T: C:	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Glipizide 5 mg tid	12	①②③④⑥⑦⑧⑨
Chen et al. 2018 [30]	T2DM	40/40	T: C:	T: 22/18; C: 24/16	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①②③⑩
Wu 2018 [31]	T2DM	63/63	T: C:	T: 37/26; C: 38/25	NA	C+berberine 0.2 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①②③⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Rashidi et al. 2018 [32]	T2DM	40/41	T: C:	T: 14/28; C: 19/22	T: C:	Berberine 0.5 g bid	Placebo	4	①②④⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Li et al. 2018 [33]	T2DM	57/57	T: C:	T: 22/35; C: 24/33	T: 5.92 (1.92, 8); C:7.25 (2, 10.2)	C+berberine 300 mg tid	Antidiabetic agents	24	①②③⑤⑥⑦⑩
Sha et al. 2018 [34]	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 15/13; C: 14/15	T: C:	Berberine 500 mg tid	NA	12	①③④⑩
Zhao 2018 [22]	Prediabetes	32/32	T: C:	T: 24/8; C: 26/6	—	Berberine 0.3-0.5 g tid	Life intervention	12	①②③⑤⑥⑦
Guan et al. 2017 [35]	T2DM	53/53	T: C:	T: 29/24; C: 28/25	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	4	①③
Zhang 2017 [36]	T2DM	40/40	T: C:	T: 21/19; C: 23/17	T: C:	Berberine 3 g tid	Metformin 750 mg/d	12	①②③④
		40/40	T: C:	T:22/18; C:23/17	T: C:	C+berberine 3 g tid	Metformin 750 mg/d	12	①②③④
Xing 2017 [37]	T2DM	35/35	T: C:	T: 18/17; C: 17/18	T: C:	Berberine 500 mg tid	Metformin 250 mg tid	12	①③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Sun 2017 [38]	T2DM	91/91	T: C:	T: 53/38; C: 51/40	T: C:	C+berberine 30 mg tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	8	①②③④⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Chen et al. 2017 [39]	Prediabetes	50/50	T: C:	T: 31/19; C: 30/20	—	Berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	24	①②⑤
Li et al. 2017 [40]	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 18/12; C: 17/13	T: C:	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Sitagliptin 100 mg tid	12	①②③
Li 2016 [41]	T2DM	90/90	T: C:	T: 55/35; C: 55/35	T: C:	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Metformin 1.7 g/d	12	①②③④
Lang and Zhu 2016[42]	T2DM	50/50		63/37	NA	Berberine 500 mg tid	Placebo	12	①②③
Du 2016 [43]	T2DM	37/36	T: C:	T: 21/16; C: 18/18	T: C:	C+berberine 4 pills tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	4	①②③
Li 2016 [44]	T2DM	60/60	T: C:	T: 26/24; C: 28/32	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Glipizide 5 mg tid	12	③④⑥⑦⑧⑨
Cui 2016 [45]	T2DM	40/40	T: C:	T: 28/12; C: 30/10	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	16	①②③⑥⑦
Ren et al. 2016 [46]	T2DM	31/30	T: C:	T: 21/10; C: 19/11	Newly diagnosed	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Life interverntion	12	①②③⑥⑦⑧⑨
Wang 2015 [25]	T2DM	39/36	T: C:	T: 22/17; C: 21/15	T: C:	C+Huanglian 3 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	8	①②③④⑥⑦⑧⑨
Yu 2015 [47]	T2DM	49/48	T: C:	T: 23/26; C: 25/23	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g qd	12	①③⑥⑦
Zhu et al. 2015 [48]	T2DM	59/59	T: C:	T: 35/24; C: 33/26	T: y; C:	C+berberine 100 mg tid	Gliclazide modified release tablets 30 mg qd	12	①②③⑥⑦⑧⑨
Shu 2014 [49]	T2DM	32/32	T: C:	T: 19/13; C: 20/12	T: C:	C+berberine 300 mg tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	24	①④
Zhou 2014 [50]	T2DM	33/33		46/20		C+berberine 300 mg tid	Metformin 0.5 g bid	12	①②③⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨
Cao 2012 [51]	T2DM	38/40	T: C:	T: 22/16; C: 24/16	Newly diagnosed	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	16	①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Zhou and Huang 2012 [52]	T2DM	45/45		48/44		C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①②④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨
Zhang and Yuan 2012 [53]	T2DM	38/38	No difference	T: 21/17; C: 20/18	No difference	C+berberine 0.5 g-0.8 tid	Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①②③
Xue et al. 2012 [54]	T2DM	44/45	No difference	No difference	No difference	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Metformin 1.5 g/d SU	12	①②③④
Lou et al. 2011 [55]	T2DM	30/30	36-74	32/28	Newly diagnosed	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Metformin 1.5 g/d	24	①②③④⑥⑦⑧⑨
Qiu et al. 2011 [56]	T2DM	49/51	T: C:	T: 26/23; C: 28/23	NA	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Antidiabetic drugs	8	①②③④⑩
Meng et al. [57]; 2011	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 17/13; C: 16/14	Newly diagnosed	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Insulin injection	12	①②③
Ye 2010 [58]	T2DM	40/40	T: C:	T: 24/16; C: 22/18	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Glimepiride 0.1 mg bid; Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①②③⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨
Sheng and Xie 2010 [59]	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 18/12; C: 11/19	T: C:	C+berberine 0.5 g tid	Glipizide 5 mg bid; Metformin 0.5 g tid	12	①④⑤⑩
Xu et al. 2008 [60]	T2DM	32/32		34/30	Newly diagnosed	C+berberine 0.3 g tid	Pioglitazone 30 mg qd	12	①②⑦
Zhang et al. 2008 [61]	T2DM	59/57	T: C:	T: 30/28; C: 31/21	Newly diagnosed	Berberine 0.5 g bid	Placebo	12	①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Li et al. 2008 [62]	T2DM	33/32	T: 47.5; C: 49.2	T: 17/16; C: 16/16	T: C:	Berberine 500 mg tid	Metformin 250 mg tid	12	①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Liu and Hu 2008 [63]	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 10/20; C: 14/16	T: C:	C+berberine 0.3-0.5 g tid	Metformin 500 mg tid	8	①②③④
Ju et al. 2007 [23]	Prediabetes	46/44	T: C:	T: 28/18; C: 26/18	—	Berberine 0.6 g/d	NA	48	①②⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩
Zhang 2005 [64]	T2DM	48/46		50/44	6-10	SU+berberine 0.3 g tid	Metformin 1.5 g/d + SU	12	①②③④
Cao 2004 [65]	T2DM	30/30	T: C:	T: 13/17; C: 12/18	T: C:	Berberine 0.5 g tid; Life intervention	Life intervention	12	①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩

Note: ① FBG: fasting blood glucose; ② 2hPBG: 2-hour postprandial blood glucose; ③ HbA1c: glycated hemoglobin; ④ FINS: fasting insulin; ⑤ BMI: body mass index: ⑥ TC: total cholesterol; ⑦ TG: triglyceride; ⑧ HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ⑨ LDL-L: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ⑩HOMA-IR.