Berberine is an insulin secretagogue targeting the KCNH6 potassium channel

Abstract

Berberine is a compound with glucose-lowering effects in mice and humans. Here, the authors show that in mice berberine has beneficial glycemic effects by promoting insulin secretion, which requires the potassium channel KCNH6 in beta cells, and that berberine can promote insulin secretion in healthy men in a phase 1 clinical trial.