1 Examples are morphine and heroin. 2  Worldwide, an estimated 69 000 people die from opioid overdose each year.  There are an estimated 15 million people who suffer from opioid dependence (i.e. an addiction to opioids).
Berberine is a natural alkaloid found in a wide variety of traditional herbs including goldenseal, barberry and Oregon grape. Many herbalists credit this unique alkaloid for the benefits of ancient herbal tonics used by native populations throughout the world.
Nobody is calling berberine a miracle drug. However, berberine has been linked to some important physiological changes. Berberine has been found to limit weight gain, for example, and enhance brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in obese mice. Itâs also been linked to an improved cold tolerance. Some also use berberine for its anti-diabetic effects. Specifically, berberine has been shown to reduce glucose production in the liver. In fact, in one recent test, berberine was shown to be equally as effective at regulating blood glucose as a popular diabetes medication.