Efficacy of Berberis aristata Compared to Metformin in Improving Glycemic Control and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: the study was aimed to evaluate the action of a combination of an extract of Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum compared to metformin in a sample of Caucasian type 2 diabetic patients not taking anti-diabetic drugs. Methods: we enrolled 109 type 2 diabetic patients and randomized them to take Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum 588/108 mg or metformin for 6 months, in a double-blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Results: glycated hemoglobin was similarly reduced by both Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum and metformin (p \u003c 0.05 vs baseline, for both treatments), without significant differences between the two treatments. The same trend was recorded for FPG (p \u003c 0.05 vs baseline, for both treatments), and PPG (p \u003c 0.01 vs baseline, for both treatments). Both treatment reduced FPI and HOMA-IR (p \u003c 0.05 vs baseline), without any differences between the two arms. Both Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum and metformin improved TC, LDL-C and Tg compared to baseline (p \u003c 0.05 for both); however, Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum better improved these parameters compared to metformin (p \u003c 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Berberis aristata/Silybum marianum can be a valid alternative to metformin in patients not well controlled by diet.