Tier 4 — mechanistic

Natural Is Not Always Safe: A Case of Torsades De Pointes Induced by Berberine Supplementation

Williams JM, Yadlapalli N, Franchi F
Cureus 2026 18(6):e111276

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 42488242
PubMed Central
PMC13390011
DOI
10.7759/cureus.111276
Funding
The authors reported no organizational financial support for the submitted case report.
Competing interests
The authors declared no competing interests in the publication.

Study snapshot

DesignClinical safety case report with published age correction
ModelHuman participants; see population
Sample1 woman; corrected age 63
InterventionReported use of an online berberine supplement; discontinuation after evaluation
DurationSeveral months of reported exposure
EndpointsQT interval and torsades; Clinical course after withdrawal

What the study showed, in plain terms

The report describes QT prolongation and torsades with improvement after supplement withdrawal. A later correction changes the patient’s age to sixty-three.

Key findings

  • The report describes QT prolongation and torsades with improvement after supplement withdrawal. A later correction changes the patient’s age to sixty-three.

What this study can and cannot tell us

A single case cannot establish incidence, product purity or sole causation. The original abstract’s age of thirty-six was corrected.

Related papers in the corpus

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Correction: Natural Is Not Always Safe: A Case of Torsades De Pointes Induced by Berberine Supplementation
Williams JM et al. · Cureus · 2026
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Recurrent Torsades de Pointes Precipitated by Berberine Supplement
Mohammadi A et al. · JACC. Case reports · 2026
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Variability in Potency Among Commercial Preparations of Berberine
Funk RS et al. · Journal of dietary supplements · 2018
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Berberine-induced haemolysis revisited: safety of Rhizoma coptidis and Cortex phellodendri in chronic haematological diseases
Linn YC et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2012
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Displacement of bilirubin from albumin by berberine
Chan E et al. · Biology of the neonate · 1993

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology