Berberine for Cancer: What It Is and How It May Help
Berberine for cancer: what you need to know
- There is not much clinical research on the effects of berberine specific to cancer
- Berberine exhibits some anticancer properties in laboratory studies (preclinical evidence)
- Berberine improves hormone balance, reduces inflammation, and improves blood sugar levels
- Berberine reduces recurrence of colorectal adenoma (pre-cancerous polyps)
- This is not a standalone treatment for cancer; it is a complementary therapy used alongside standard medical care to support treatment and/or well-being.
What is berberine?
Berberine is a compound found in many plants, including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric. It is available as a dietary supplement.
Berberine shows benefits in some body terrain factors—especially high blood sugar—and may substantially reduce the recurrence of polyps in the colon that can become cancerous. Anticancer effects of berberine and improvement of treatment outcomes have only been shown in the laboratory and in animal studies. This preclinical evidence, while promising, has not yet been tested in humans.
Berberine is not well absorbed by the body and various types of nano-based derivatives have been developed in recent years to boost its bioavailability.1Samadi P, Sarvarian P et al. Berberine: a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer. IUBMB Life. 2020;72(10):2065-2079. Many of these derivatives are not currently available for clinical use.
Safety
- Generally safe
- Common side effects include mild gastrointestinal distress including bloating, nausea, or diarrhea
- Contraindications: do not take if pregnant or breastfeeding
- Known interactions, consult with your healthcare provider before adding to your regimen
See full safety details, side effects & drug interactions →
How berberine may help people with cancer
Strength of evidence rating
We rate the strength of the evidence with 0=no evidence, 1=weak evidence, 2=modest evidence, and 3=good evidence. Read more about our method in detail here ›
Optimizing your body terrain
There are no published clinical trials specific to cancer that examine the effects of berberine on body terrain factors.
However, there is evidence that berberine has effects on many body terrain measures for people with other types of health issues including improving blood sugar balance, lowering inflammation, and improving hormone balance. Berberine may lower blood sugar and insulin resistance among people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorders.5Liang Y, Xu X et al. Effects of berberine on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis. Endocrine Journal. 2019 Jan 28;66(1):51-63; Dong H, Wang N, Zhao L, Lu F. Berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012;2012:591654 Berberine may improve sex hormone balance among people with polyendocrine metabolic syndrome (formerly polycystic ovarian syndrome).6Zhao H, Xing C, Zhang J, He B. Comparative efficacy of oral insulin sensitizers metformin, thiazolidinediones, inositol, and berberine in improving endocrine and metabolic profiles in women with PCOS: a network meta-analysis. Reproductive Health. 2021;18(1):171. Berberine may reduce inflammation among people with various health conditions including cardiovascular and other issues.7Lu Y, Zhang X et al. The effects of berberine on inflammatory markers in Chinese patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: a meta‑analysis of randomized controlled trials. Inflammopharmacology. 2022;30(3):1063-1077; Beba M, Djafarian K, Shab-Bidar S. Effect of berberine on C-reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2019;46:81-86; Meng S, Wang LS et al. Berberine ameliorates inflammation in patients with acute coronary syndrome following percutaneous coronary intervention. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology. 2012 May;39(5):406-11 Berberine has also been shown to reduce some measures of obesity among people with metabolic disorders and polyendocrine metabolic syndrome (formerly polycystic ovarian syndrome).8Asbaghi O, Ghanbari N et al. The effect of berberine supplementation on obesity parameters, inflammation and liver function enzymes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. 2020;38:43-49; Orio F, Muscogiuri G et al. Berberine improves reproductive features in obese Caucasian women with polycystic ovary syndrome independently of changes of insulin sensitivity. E-SPEN Journal. 2013 Oct;8(5):e200-e204 There is also some evidence that berberine can improve microbiome composition.9Pu Z, Sun Y et al. Effects of berberine on gut microbiota in patients with mild metabolic disorders induced by olanzapine. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2021;49(8):1949-1963
Reducing cancer risk or recurrence
There is modest evidence that berberine may considerably reduce the risk of recurrence of colorectal adenoma (a type of polyp that can become cancerous) after surgery to remove the polyps10Fang S, Guo S et al. Efficacy and safety of berberine in preventing recurrence of colorectal adenomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2022;282:114617 even for up to six years after the initial surgery and treatment.11Tan YJ, Zou TH et al. Berberine for preventing colorectal adenoma recurrence and neoplasm occurrence: 6-Year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial. Cell Reports Medicine. 2025 Aug 11;6(9):102293
See the full evidence summary ›
Affordability and access
Is a prescription required?
- No
Where to find it
- Berberine is available as an oral supplement online and in stores
Affordability
- Inexpensive: $30-$50 US per month
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FAQs
- Can berberine help fight cancer?
We have found no published clinical trials related to berberine and cancer treatment outcomes for humans. There is preclinical (lab or animal) evidence that berberine may have some anticancer effects. - Can berberine help with cancer side effects?
There is weak evidence that berberine can help reduce side effects of radiation therapy among people with non-small cell lung cancer and acute intestinal symptoms among people undergoing abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy. - Can berberine reduce risk of cancer or recurrence?
There is modest evidence that berberine may considerably reduce the risk of recurrence of colorectal adenoma (a type of polyp that can become cancerous). - Does berberine support immune function in cancer patients?
We have found no published clinical trials related to berberine and immune function for humans. - Can berberine reduce inflammation in cancer patients?
Studies show that berberine may reduce inflammation among people with various health conditions including cardiovascular and other issues.
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References