Berberine is an Effective Insulin Sensitizer and Improves Homeostasis of Metabolic and Hormonal Disorders in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Novel Treatment Strategy for PCOS

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrine disease in female reproductive-age. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that natural plant-based products may play a role in PCOS management. Previous study in PCOS preclinical model and in humans demonstrated that berberine is an effective insulin sensitizer and improves homeostasis of metabolic, inflammatory and hormonal disorders. However, to date there is no clinical study that considers globally all the activities carried out by berberine in PCOS clinical features. Given this background, aim of this study was to evaluate in normal-overweight PCOS women with normal menses the berberine effectiveness on: insulin resistance by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA); inflammation by C-Reactive Protein (CRP), TNF-alpha; lipid metabolism; sex hormone profile and symptoms correlated to hyperandrogenism, such as acne, by Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) and Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI); body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. All these parameters were collected at baseline and 60 days after supplementation with a new bioavailable and safe berberine formulation. Finally, adverse effects were assessed by liver and kidney functions. To evaluate statistically significant pre- post-supplementation changes, fitted a linear mixed model for each investigated endpoint was performed.