Urinary Tract Infections
An infection in part of the urinary tract is termed UTI. The urinary tract has the following parts in the human body:
Ureter
Urethra
Bladder
Kidneys
So, an infection caused by pathogens in any of these parts is UTI. This may cause multiple symptoms so should be treated properly [1].
Usually, antibiotics are given to treat such infections, but these can also be cured by using other therapeutic modalities depending on the condition of the person.
Some herbal medications are also available to treat these disorders or infections and the advantage is that they have no side effects. One of these herbal medications to treat UTI is berberine which is a very crucial compound with positive outcomes.
It has been found that women are at more risk of developing these infections of UT as compared to men.
If these infections spread in the body and affect the kidneys, then the disorder becomes chronic and requires serious treatment based on symptoms [2].
Symptoms of UTIs
Different symptoms result based on the part of the urinary tract that is affected as well as the condition of the patient.
Some patients may have no symptoms at all while others may have severe symptoms. So, it varies from patient to patient. If symptoms appear, some of them are as follows which are common in almost all patients who have symptoms [3].
Feeling burning at the urethra while urinating.
Urge to urinate all the time.
Cloudy urine.
Passing of small urine each time.
Strong smell of urine.
Blood in urine in some cases.
Pain in pelvis. This symptom is more common and severe in women as compared to men [4].
Types of UTIs
UTIs can be classified into multiple types based on the part of the tract that is infected by the pathogen. We can consider the following UTIs as they are commonly found worldwide.
Infection in Kidney
If infection occurs in the kidney, it can result in severe pain, vomiting, high fever, and feeling too cold. So, this infection should be treated properly with proper medication.
Ureter Infection
Infection may also occur in the ureter and can cause different symptoms. This occurs when pathogens affect the ureter part of UT.
Infection in Urethra
If pathogens affect the urethra, it can result in severe infection. It can cause the urge to urinate again and again as well as cause burning while urinating.
Infection in Bladder
Another type of UTI is when pathogens are affecting the bladder of UT. It can also cause severe symptoms and require proper treatment. Common symptoms associated with this infection include discomfort in the lower part of the abdomen, pain in the pelvis particularly in females, blood in urine, and too much urination that may also cause pain [5].
Risk Factors
The following factors have been found that can increase the risk of getting infections if the person is exposed to any of these.
Females are at more risk as compared to males because of their anatomy.
Sexual activity is also one of the risk factors for UTIs.
These are most common in menopausal women.
Using birth control medications can also increase the risk of getting UTIs.
If there is any type of blockage found in the tract, it can also lead to infection.
If there is some other urinary tract disease this can increase the risk of getting the infection [6].
How to Prevent UTIs
Research studies have shown that few measures can be taken in order to reduce the risk of getting infections in the urinary tract. Some of these measures are as follows.
Taking food in the form of liquid and drinking large amounts of water.
Stop using female products that may cause irritation of UT.
Changing the method for birth control [7].
Berberine
A naturally occurring compound called berberine may be discovered in the stems, rhizomes, and roots of several plants. Due to its numerous health advantages, especially in Chinese and Ayurvedic methods, it has been utilized in traditional medicine for an incredibly extended period.
Berberine has lately received a lot of interest due to its potential therapeutic advantages for a variety of ailments, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. In this post, we will look at the biology of berberine and talk about its health benefits.
The myriad intricate biological characteristics of berberine have been the subject of in-depth research.
Interacting with a broad range of molecular targets, including receptors, signaling pathways, and enzymes, is one of berberine's main mechanisms of action, and this interaction can result in a variety of pharmacological effects [8].
It has been demonstrated that activating AMPK, a key enzyme involved in cellular energy regulation, enhances insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Because berberine can lower lipid levels, it may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases because it can speed up the breakdown of cholesterol by increasing the expression of the low-density lipoprotein receptor, which helps remove LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream. In addition to metabolic syndrome and diabetes, berberine has shown promise in the treatment of a variety of other medical conditions [9].
Role of Berberine in Treating UTIs and its Mechanism of Action
A lot of research has been done to check the importance of berberine in treating different bad health conditions. This crucial compound has always shown positive outcomes for many disorders.
It has been found that berberine can treat the infections of UT by acting on the pathogens as well as by targeting the immune system of the body.
Studies have shown that berberine can kill pathogens, especially bacteria that cause infections in UT.
E. coli is one of the major bacteria that results in infections of UT. It is found that berberine can target this bacterium and kill it.
Berberine can also stop the E. coli bacterium from getting attached to the wall of UT and causing infection. So, this can prevent the infection as well as treat it [10].
Berberine can also target the immune system and stimulate it to fight the infection by killing the pathogens.
Moreover, berberine has anti-inflammatory properties that can also make it suitable to treat the inflammation that results from infections in the UT.
UTIs are very common, and they may recur after some time. So, they should be treated properly. The use of berberine in the treatment can help prevent the recurrence of these infections.
Berberine stops the pathogens from forming biofilms that can cause the recurrence of infection. When there are no biofilms, no infection will recur. So Berberine has this additional advantage.
Hence, berberine can act through any of the above-mentioned processes and can kill the pathogens and treat the infection of UT.
Berberine is scientifically proven as many experiments have been performed and it has always shown significant outcomes [11].
Preclinical and Clinical Trials Data
The safety and efficacy of berberine in treating the infections of UT are confirmed through multiple experimental studies.
These experiments were performed in vitro as well as in vivo. The studies involved both animal models as well as human patients to study the effectiveness of this crucial compound and to check its safety in humans.
An experiment was performed on the rat models with E. coli infection in their UT. These animals were randomly given berberine for a specific time period and it was seen that all the symptoms were alleviated significantly in these organisms. It was also seen berberine targeted the pathogens and stopped their attachment to the wall of UT as well as stopped biofilm production by them. It also stimulated the immune system in the bodies of these rats to fight infections [12] .
Similarly, studies were also done on human patients with different types of UTIs. So that the safety and efficacy of this crucial compound can be checked.
A random study was performed on 219 patients who were having infections in their UT. These patients were divided into two groups randomly. One of these groups was given berberine while the other group was given cotrimoxazole which is a commonly used medication to treat these disorders.
The results showed that berberine and the available medication that was used were equally effective in treating the infections by killing the pathogens in UT of those patients.
Moreover, it was observed that berberine has negligible side effects as compared to the commercially available medication that was used.
It was also seen that the chances of recurrence were totally reduced in the patients who were treated with berberine.
Another trial was also done that involved all the women who were in menopause and had UTIs. These women were given berberine compounds for some specific time period. Significant outcomes were observed in all these female patients and the chances of recurrence of infection were also reduced.
So, from the above data, we can conclude that berberine is a crucial compound with significant outcomes in treating the infections of UT in patients [13].
It not only treats the infection but also plays a crucial role in stopping the recurrence of these infections.
So, it can be a promising therapy in treating UTIs.
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