Research progress on berberine in the prevention and treatment for periodontitis

Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Rhizoma Coptidis and other Chinese herbal medicines. Since berberine has a variety of biological effects, such as bacteriostasis, anti-inflammatory, anti-bone resorption and blood sugar-lowering effects, and is associated with few side effects, studies are increasingly discovering its potential application in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis. This review summarizes the relevant research progress of berberine in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis in recent years, aiming to provide a new strategy for the clinical prevention and treatment of periodontitis. The results of the literature review showed that berberine could prevent the occurrence and development of periodontitis by inhibiting periodontal pathogens, reducing periodontal tissue inflammation and inhibiting alveolar bone resorption. However, the mechanism of periodontitis is complicated, and current research remains limited. In the future, more in vivo and in vitro studies are needed to further explore the mechanism of berberine in inhibiting the occurrence and development of periodontitis, and more large-sample prospective clinical studies should be conducted to confirm the effect of berberine on the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.