Berberine attenuates hepatic steatosis and enhances energy expenditure in mice by inducing autophagy and fibroblast growth factor 21.

Berberine acts in the liver to regulate lipid utilization and maintain whole-body energy metabolism by mediating autophagy and FGF21 activation. Hence, it has therapeutic potential for treating metabolic defects under nutritional overload, such as fatty liver diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity.