Xu Weixiong, Fang ChaoLan, Jiang Ming Jian
Department of Clinical Laboratory, 910th Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Joint Logistics Support Force, Quanzhou, Fujian, 362000, China.
BMC Nephrol. 2025 Jul 1;26(1):315. doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-04231-y.
Berberine, a potent bioactive compound extracted from the traditional herbal medicine Huanglian (Coptis chinensis), has garnered significant attention due to its diverse pharmacological effects, particularly in the treatment of renal diseases. Previous studies have highlighted berberine's therapeutic potential in ameliorating acute kidney injury (AKI) in murine animal models, suggesting its prospective use as a renal protective agent. Its mechanisms involve antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways, which are key to its effects.
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the effects and underlying biological mechanisms of berberine in murine models of AKI. To ensure comprehensive coverage, an exhaustive literature search was conducted across reputable databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Ovid, and Embase. The search was performed in December 2024 and no limitations were applied regarding the publication date of the studies. The SYRCLE's risk of bias tool was employed for a rigorous quality assessment of each study. Statistical analyses were performed using Revman5.4.2 and STATA 15.1 software to ensure the accuracy and reliability of data interpretation.
We included a total of 19 relevant studies, Our research indicates that the animal studies included in our review demonstrate a significant improvement in renal function metrics of blood specimens in rodent models. The standard mean difference (SMD) for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is - 3.31 (95% CI: - 4.19, - 2.42), and for Serum Creatinine (SCR) it's - 2.67 (95% CI: - 3.26, - 2.09), highlighting berberine's significant renal protective effects. Additionally, berberine favorably affects inflammatory markers, with SMD for IL - 18 at - 1.30 (95% CI: - 2.76, - 0.16) and for TNF - α at - 3.90 (95% CI: - 6.19, - 1.61).Berberine significantly reduced BUN and SCR.
The beneficial effects of berberine in AKI are likely attributed to its diverse mechanisms, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory pathways. However, to accurately delineate the efficacy and safety of berberine as a therapeutic intervention for AKI, future research should prioritize large-scale, long-term, and high-quality preclinical trials. Such endeavors are critical for validating our findings and establishing a solid foundation for clinical applications.
黄连素是从传统草药黄连中提取的一种具有强大生物活性的化合物，因其多样的药理作用，特别是在肾脏疾病治疗方面的作用，而备受关注。以往研究强调了黄连素在改善小鼠动物模型急性肾损伤（AKI）方面的治疗潜力，表明其有望作为一种肾脏保护剂。其作用机制涉及抗氧化和抗炎途径，这是其发挥作用的关键。
本系统评价和荟萃分析旨在阐明黄连素在AKI小鼠模型中的作用及潜在生物学机制。为确保全面覆盖，我们在包括PubMed、Web of Science、Cochrane图书馆、Ovid和Embase等著名数据库中进行了详尽的文献检索。检索于2024年12月进行，对研究的发表日期没有限制。采用SYRCLE偏倚风险工具对每项研究进行严格的质量评估。使用Revman5.4.2和STATA 15.1软件进行统计分析，以确保数据解释的准确性和可靠性。
我们共纳入了19项相关研究。我们的研究表明，纳入本综述的动物研究显示，啮齿动物模型血液样本的肾功能指标有显著改善。血尿素氮（BUN）的标准平均差（SMD）为-3.31（95%CI：-4.19，-2.42），血清肌酐（SCR）的标准平均差为-2.67（95%CI：-3.26，-2.09），突出了黄连素显著的肾脏保护作用。此外，黄连素对炎症标志物有有利影响，IL-18的SMD为-1.30（95%CI：-2.76，-0.16），TNF-α的SMD为-3.90（95%CI：-6.19，-1.61）。黄连素显著降低了BUN和SCR。
黄连素在AKI中的有益作用可能归因于其多种机制，包括抗氧化、抗炎途径。然而，为了准确描述黄连素作为AKI治疗干预措施的疗效和安全性，未来的研究应优先进行大规模、长期和高质量的临床前试验。这些努力对于验证我们的发现并为临床应用奠定坚实基础至关重要。
