Berberine, a natural bioactive compound extracted from traditional Chinese medicines such as Coptis chinensis, exhibits diverse pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and lipid-lowering effects. However, its clinical application has long been limited by poor water solubility and low bioavailability. This cover vividly illustrates various types of berberine nanoformulations (such as liposomes, micelles, hydrogels, and inorganic nanoparticles with distinct morphological features). These intelligent nanocarriers significantly enhance the solubility and targeted delivery efficiency of berberine through efficient encapsulation. In this image, drug-loaded nanoparticles are precisely targeting different disease microenvironments—including tumor cells, inflammatory sites, atherosclerosis-related vascular plaques—while effectively scavenging free radicals. Collectively, these nano-strategies substantially improve the therapeutic efficacy of berberine against cancer, inflammation, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress-related disorders. This nanomedicine approach offers new insights for expanding the clinical applications of berberine and developing more efficient targeted therapeutic strategies.
Zou, S.T. et al. / J. Chin. Pharm. Sci. 2026, 35 (3), 209–242.
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