How Goldthread Works?
The most effective part of Coptis trifolia is the rhizome. It contains alkaloids like berberine, palmatine, coptisine, jatrorhizine, epiberberine, magnoflorine and groenlandicine. Clinical trials suggest that goldthread powder may repress bacterial sortase, which is a protein in charge of tying down gram-positive bacteria to the cell membrane. It has also been suggested that it may have reactions against the parasites Blastocystis hominis, Shigella flexneri and Trypanosoma cruzi. Goldthread may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. According to initial studies, topical application of goldthread may have reaction against inflammatory conditions of skin, for example, psoriasis. Clinical researches also recommend that goldthread maybe effective in treating gastric ulcers. Its berberine constituent seems to hinder discharge of gastric acid; however, goldthread seems to have different anti-ulcer characteristics in addition with berberine activity. In recent clinical studies it has been recommended that goldthread powder and its constituent (berberine) stops the production of tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-alpha and pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 by blocking nuclear factor- kappaB, which is the translation component in charge of cytokine generation regulation. Berberine has potential benefit in the treatment of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, which is related with enhanced levels of TNF-alpha and IL1-beta. Goldthread, especially its constituent coptisine, also seems to protect renal tubular epithelial cells from chemical damage in experimental studies. Goldthread powder may have activity against cancer. It seems to hinder the proliferation and growth of cancer cell, diminish angiogenesis and also decrease cancer gene expression. The constituent of goldthread jatrorrhizine seems to repress monoamine oxidase MAO-B and (MAO)-A. Berberine may decrease the activity of MOA-A. Clinical studies propose that goldthread may positively influence memory and learning skills. The important and effective constituent of goldthread is berberine. This constituent has the ability to improve heart rhythm, increase heart strength and decrease blood pressure. Initial studies also propose that berberine may enhance left ventricular functioning and diminish arrhythmia in patients with heart attack. It may also decrease level of LDL cholesterol and improve glucose level in the blood. Berberine may have antitumor impacts and may secure the liver against hepatotoxins. Berberine has antimicrobial impacts including antifungal, antibacterial, antiprotozoal and antimycobacterial activity. Berberine may help improve the activity of Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Shigella boydii, Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Sporotrichum schenckii, Candida tropicalis, Cryptococcus neoformans and Giardia lamblia. Clinical experiments suggest that it may be helpful for topical treatment of trachoma and burns issues, which is a very common reason of blindness in underdeveloped countries. Whether goldthread powder has clinical impacts similar to berberine is still unclear.

It binds and noncompetitively inhibits monoamine oxidase (IC50 = 4 μM for MAO-A and 62 μM for MAO-B)