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In the advanced stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetic liver damage is a common complication that can devastate a patient's quality of life. The present study investigated the ability of liposomal berberine (Lip-BBR) to aid in ameliorating hepatic damage and steatosis, insulin homeostasis, and regulating lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and the possible pathways by which it does so. Liver tissue microarchitectures and immunohistochemical staining were applied during the study. The rats were divided into a control non-diabetic group and four diabetic groups, which are the T2DM, T2DM-Lip-BBR (10 mg/kg b.wt), T2DM-Vildagliptin (Vild) (10 mg/kg b.wt), and T2DM-BBR-Vild (10 mg/kg b.wt + Vild (5 mg/kg b.wt) groups. The findings demonstrated that Lip-BBR treatment could restore liver tissue microarchitectures, reduce steatosis and liver function, and regulate lipid metabolism. Moreover, Lip-BBR treatment promoted autophagy via the activation of LC3-II and Bclin-1 proteins and activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway in the liver tissue of T2DM rats. Lip-BBR also activated the GLP-1 expression, which stimulated insulin biosynthesis. It decreased the endoplasmic reticulum stress by limiting the CHOP, JNK expression, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Collectively, Lip-BBR ameliorated diabetic liver injury in a T2DM rat model with its promotion activity of AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy and limiting ER stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is considered one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. Epidemiological studies have shown that regular consumption of phenols is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease, and the use of nutraceuticals and functional foods can provide protective, preventive, and possibly curative effects in CVD. A novel mixture of different natural substances named Recapsoma® (bergamot, liposomal berberine, Ipomoea batatas, oleuropein, polycosanols, and vitamin E) has been produced, and its anti-dyslipidaemic efficacy has been tested, specifically studying the in vitro effects on the mechanisms of action underlying cholesterol synthesis, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol oxidation. The work has demonstrated the ability of this herbal extract mixture to inhibit the action of PCSK, ACAT, PAP, and HMGR and to increase the LDL receptor (LDLR), underlying the synergistic effect of the mixture over the single components. Such results suggest that the Recapsoma® mixture could be used as a tool for controlling hypercholesterolemia, and an alternative to statins, especially for those patients with metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the advanced stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetic liver damage is a common complication that can devastate a patient’s quality of life. The present study investigated the ability of liposomal berberine (Lip-BBR) to aid in ameliorating hepatic damage and steatosis, insulin homeostasis, and regulating lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and the possible pathways by which it does so. Liver tissue microarchitectures and immunohistochemical staining were applied during the study. The rats were divided into a control non-diabetic group and four diabetic groups, which are the T2DM, T2DM-Lip-BBR (10 mg/kg b.wt), T2DM-Vildagliptin (Vild) (10 mg/kg b.wt), and T2DM-BBR-Vild (10 mg/kg b.wt + Vild (5 mg/kg b.wt) groups. The findings demonstrated that Lip-BBR treatment could restore liver tissue microarchitectures, reduce steatosis and liver function, and regulate lipid metabolism. Moreover, Lip-BBR treatment promoted autophagy via the activation of LC3-II and Bclin-1 proteins and activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway in the liver tissue of T2DM rats. Lip-BBR also activated the GLP-1 expression, which stimulated insulin biosynthesis. It decreased the endoplasmic reticulum stress by limiting the CHOP, JNK expression, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Collectively, Lip-BBR ameliorated diabetic liver injury in a T2DM rat model with its promotion activity of AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy and limiting ER stress.

Abstract: The aim of this work is to establish an optimal process for generating liposomal berberine and assessing its anticancer ability against human hepatic carcinoma in a murine xenograft model. Of various forms of liposomal berberine with different lipid compositions, preparation by various methods, the one that contained 5mol% polyethenyl glycol (PEG) that was produced by a thin-film hydration/extrusion method exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (E.E.) of berberine (14%). Additionally, in vitro studies reveal that this batch of liposomal berberine inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells 2.5 times as effectively as berberine solution since the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of berberine solution was 4.23μg berberine/mL while that of liposomal berberine was only 1.67μg berberine/mL, and this inhibition effect was based on the induction of apoptosis through the caspase/mitochondria-dependent pathway. Additionally, the results of in vivo studies indicate that the liposome effectively reduced the rate of elimination of berberine in both plasma and tissues, and liposomal berberine effectively reduced the size and weight of tumors as compared with the untreated tumor control group. Therefore, this work demonstrates that liposome is a good carrier for berberine to inhibit the tumor growth in HepG2 tumor-bearing mice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]