Methylglyoxal and insulin resistance in berberine‑treated type 2 diabetic patients

Background: diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder of hyperglycemia. chronic hyperglycemia produces advanced glycation end products such as the methylglyoxal (mgo) which interferes with cell functions, insulin signaling, and β‑cell functions. the present study was conducted to determine the effects of berberine (bbr) therapy on serum mgo and insulin resistance in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients. materials and methods: the present case–control study was conducted at the department of medicine, liaquat university of medical and health sciences, jamshoro/hyderabad, from march 2016 to january 2017. a sample of 200 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients was divided into two groups. group 1 received metformin 500 mg (×3 daily) and group 2 received bbr 500 mg (×3 daily) for 3 months. blood samples were collected at baseline and after 3 months to analyze biochemical parameters on roche biochemical analyzer. mgo was assayed by elisa kit and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (homa‑ir) model. spss version 23.0 (ibm, incorporation, usa) analyzed the data at 95% confidence interval (p ≤ 0.05). results: baseline homa‑ir (% ir) and mgo were found elevated in metformin and bbr groups. after 3 months of metformin and bbr therapy, the homa‑ir (% ir) and mgo were decreased to 3.69 ± 1.13 and 2.64 ± 0.76 and 35.84 ± 12.56 and 26.64 ± 10.73 ng/ dl, respectively (p = 0.0001). homa‑ir (% ir) was improved by 40% and 73% (p = 0.0001) and mgo by 43% and 56% in metformin and bbr groups, respectively (p = 0.0001). conclusion: bbr is more effective in decreasing the serum mgo levels and insulin resistance through improved glycemic control in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients.