Berberine is an alkaloid that is extracted from the roots of various plants used commonly in Chinese medicine, including goldenseal, European barberry, and phellodendron. Bitter in taste and bright yellow in color, berberine has been used for conditions including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome and more. Though many of the purported uses of berberine have inconsistent results in research, the overall consistency of research results in berberine’s ability to lower blood glucose is very high. Additionally, berberine is often used as a selective antibacterial agent, as it has powerful antimicrobial properties.