Perfect Partner for a Dietary Alkaloid: Dual Role of Coptis chinensis Polysaccharide in Berberine Taste Masking and Immune Amplification.

As the global population aging, sub-healthy population expanding, and “Preventive Treatment of Disease” concept gaining ground, health industry has become a recognized Blue Ocean Market. Berberine, a natural plant-derived micromolecule, has attracted significant attention in the market for functional beverages and herbal preparations in recent years, due to its extraordinary versatility in bodyweight management, blood glucose and lipid control, intestinal health restoration, etc. In order to mask its intense bitterness, all the berberine-based commercially available products contain sweeteners. However, several kinds of sweeteners have been proved to trigger or accelerate the development of metabolic and immunologic abnormalities. In fact, a variety of berberine-containing plant materials have a historic history in both edible and medicinal use, in a simple approach of boiling. This study proposes a new perspective to explain multicomponent synergy in natural plants: the macromolecular polysaccharides in berberine-containing plants, represented by Coptis chinensis Franch. (C. Franch.), can simultaneously act as natural taste-masking agents and immune-amplifying agents for berberine, which can not only mask the inherent astringency of alkaloids but also amplify the regulatory effect of BBR on the balance of Th17/Treg cells, alleviate the inflammatory response in mice with ulcerative colitis. This work provides important insights into the cooperation of macromolecular polysaccharides derived from the same plant with small-molecule active ingredients and suggests potential mechanisms for the health benefits of these active ingredients.