Supplement analysis backed by scientific evidence · PT

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Limited evidenceGut health

Coptis Chinensis (Huang Lian)

A Chinese herb whose active compound is berberine. Almost all the human evidence comes from purified berberine hydrochloride rather than the herb, and the gut-infection use it is sold for remains largely traditional.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

  • Diarrhoea-predominant IBS Limited evidence

    A randomized clinical trial of berberine hydrochloride in diarrhoea-predominant IBS reported reduced diarrhoea frequency and abdominal pain. It is a single trial, and it used the isolated compound rather than Coptis.

  • Cholesterol and triglycerides Moderate evidence

    A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials found berberine lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. This supports berberine as a compound, not the whole herb, and is a different use from the gut claims.

  • Gut infections Limited evidence

    The traditional use for bacterial diarrhoea and intestinal infection rests on older, small and poorly controlled studies rather than modern randomized trials.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseBerberine trials used 400–1500 mg/day in divided doses. Coptis decoctions traditionally use 2–5 g of dried rhizome, and the berberine content of herb products varies widely.
SafetyConstipation, cramping and nausea are common. Berberine inhibits CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and can raise the levels of many drugs including cyclosporine, and it lowers blood sugar. Never give to newborns and avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding, since berberine displaces bilirubin and has been linked to kernicterus risk.

Scientific references

Where to buy

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