Pre-clinical Evidence: Berberine as a Promising Cardioprotective Candidate for Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, a Systematic Review, and Meta-Analysis

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09

Pre-clinical Evidence: Berberine as a Promising Cardioprotective Candidate for Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, a Systematic Review, and Meta-Analysis

Chen et al., 2021 | Front Cardiovasc Med | Systematic Review

Citation

Chen Cong, Lin Qian, ... Li Dong. Pre-clinical Evidence: Berberine as a Promising Cardioprotective Candidate for Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, a Systematic Review, and Meta-Analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021;8:646306. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2021.646306

Abstract

Objective: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is one of the causes of most cardiomyocyte injuries and deaths. Berberine (BBR) has been suggested a potential to exert protective effects against myocardial I/R injury. This systematic review aims to determine the intrinsic mechanisms of BBR's protective effects in myocardial I/R injury. Methods: Seven databases were searched for studies performed from inception to July 2020. Methodological quality was assessed by SYRCLE's-RoB tool. Results: Ten studies including a total of 270 animals were included in this study. The methodology quality scores of the included studies ranged from 5 to 7 points. The meta-analysis we conducted demonstrated that BBR significantly reduced myocardial infarct size and the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia, compared to control groups (P < 0.00001). Cardiac function of animals in the BBR treatment group was also markedly increased (P < 0.00001). The index of myocardial apoptosis and the levels of biomarkers of myocardial infarction (LDH and CK) were also decreased in the BBR treatment groups compared to the control groups (P < 0.00001). Conclusions: The pre-clinical evidence, according to our study, showed that BBR is a promising therapeutic agent for myocardial I/R injury. However, this conclusion should be further investigated in clinical studies.

Key Findings

Ten studies including a total of 270 animals were included in this study. The methodology quality scores of the included studies ranged from 5 to 7 points. The meta-analysis we conducted demonstrated that BBR significantly reduced myocardial infarct size and the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia, compared to control groups (P < 0.00001). Cardiac function of animals in the BBR treatment group was also markedly increased (P < 0.00001). The index of myocardial apoptosis and the levels of biomarke

Outcomes Measured

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Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • No MeSH terms indexed

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Systematic Review, Journal Article
  • Vertical: berberine

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09