Elevation of circulating levels of blood cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, and/or the decrease of HDL cholesterol levels have long been recognized as primary risk factors for developing atherosclerosis that leads to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor that is known to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Thus, various interventional efforts aimed at reducing hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia have been practiced clinically for decades to reduce morbidity and mortality risk associated with deleterious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. As such, many drugs have been developed and clinically used to treat hypocholesteremia and/or hypertriglyceridemia; however, dietary approaches including supplements along with changes in nutrition and lifestyle have become increasingly attractive and acceptable methods used to control borderline or moderately increased levels of blood cholesterol and triacylglycerols. In this regard, the use of a plant/herbal bioactive compound, berberine (BBR), has recently been studied extensively in terms of its efficacy as well as its mechanisms of action and safety as an alternative intervention that beneficially modulates blood lipids. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive update on BBR research, new concepts and directions in terms of product development and current challenges, and future prospects of using BBR to manage diseases and complications associated with dyslipidemia.

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Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, has been demonstrated to reduce weight gain in obese rats; however, the active components and mechanisms are unknown. In the present study, water extract of LWDH was obtained and determined for its effect and mechanism of action on weight gain in male obese‐prone CD rats. The rats were divided into three groups and fed a high‐fat diet (60 kcal% from fat). Two treatment groups received 600 (WE600) or 1200 (WE1200) mg/kg/d LWDH water extract dissolved in water once a day via gavage feeding for 10 wk. The control rats were gavaged with the control vehicle. It was found that WE1200 lowered body weights after 3 weeks of treatment and the effect was retained throughout the remaining study period. WE1200 also lowered visceral fat mass, serum free fatty acids, serum leptin, as well as blood cholesterol and triacylglycerides. Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and fat oxidation were increased in both light and dark periods, while carbon dioxide oxidation increased in the light period in the WE1200 group. Energy expenditure was increased in the WE1200 group in both light and dark periods. Moreover, rats in the WE1200 group had lower levels of serum free fatty acids and leptin levels. Rats in the WE600 had lower serum free fatty acids and leptin levels without showing significant effects on other parameters compared to controls. These results demonstrated that consumption of LWDH water extract suppressed weight gain, visceral fat mass and improved several phenotypes of metabolic syndrome in obese rats through increasing energy expenditure, decreasing energy intake and improving leptin sensitivity. ‐‐‐‐Research was supported by CIHR grant CCI‐92219.