Objective To observe the effect of berberine hydrochloride tablets on serum levels of inflammatory factors and intestinal bifidobacteria in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. Methods Twenty patients with diabetes mellitus type 2（ the diabetic group） and 20 healthy volunteers（ the healthy group） were enrolled. The diabetic group was given berberine hydrochloride tablets

0. 3 g per time

three times every day

for 8 weeks. Levels of lipopolysaccharide

tumor necrosis factor-α（ TNF-α）

fasting blood glucose（ FBG）

glycosylated hemoglobin（ Hb Alc）

triglyceride（ TG）

total cholesterol（ TC）

high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（ HDL-C）

and low density lipoprotein cholesterol（ LDL-C）

and the amount of total bifidobacteria in faeces in the healthy group and the diabetic group were observed before and after treatment. Results Compared with the healthy group

the amount of intestinal bifidobacteria in the diabetic group remarkably decreased before and after treatment

while levels of lipopolysaccharide and TNF-α remarkably increased（ P < 0. 01）. According to Spearman correlation analysis

the amount of bifidobacteria before treatment had negative correlations with the levels of lipopolysaccharide and TNF-α（ P < 0. 05）. Compared with that before treatment

the amount of intestinal bifidobacteria in the diabetic group remarkably increased after treatment

while levels of lipopolysaccharide

TNF-α

FBG

Hb Alc

TC

TG

LDL-C and HDL-C all remarkably decreased（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Conclusion Berberine hydrochloride tablets could decrease serum levels of inflammatory factors and increase the amount of intestinal bifidobacteria in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2

and could improve glucolipid metabolism disorder to some degree.