Longevity & AgingGut Bacteria Transform Berberine Into a Compound That Shields the Liver From Cholestasis
Researchers found that berberine (BBR), a plant-derived compound, does not act directly on the liver. Instead, gut bacteria convert it into dihydroberberine (dhBBR), which suppresses serotonin (5-HT) production in intestinal enterochromaffin cells by inhibiting the enzyme TPH1. Lower 5-HT levels reduce harmful signaling in the liver via the 5-HT/5-HTR axis, significantly easing cholestatic liver injury. This mechanism was confirmed in three mouse models (bile duct ligation, ANIT-induced, and mdr2-knockout), fecal microbiota transplant experiments, and a randomized controlled clinical trial in patients with cholestatic liver disease, where BBR improved liver enzymes and lowered serum 5-HT levels.
