The FDA states on its personal importation page that "in most circumstances, it is illegal for individuals to import drugs or devices into the U.S
In SURMOUNT-4 (Aronne et al., *JAMA* 2024), all patients ran an open-label phase reaching maximum tolerated dose (10 mg or 15 mg weekly) for 36 weeks, losing an average of 20.9% of body weight in that phase
Berberine's effects on two risk factors in particular high triglycerides and high cholesterol have received attention
Plasma DPP-4 activity ( A , C , E , and G ), plasma TG and AUC over 180 minutes ( B , D , F , and H , left and middle), and plasma levels of active GLP-1 before and 10 minutes after olive oil gavage ( B , D , F ,and H , right) during a lipid tolerance test (LTT) in response to water or a gut-selective (14 g/mouse) or systemic (10 mg/kg) dose of sitagliptin in 5-hour fasted 16- to 19-week-old Dpp4 EC+/+ ( A and B , n = 1117/group), Dpp4 EC/ ( C and D , n = 1226/group), Dpp4 EC+/+ (BMT) ( E and F , n = 78/group), and Dpp4 EC/ (BMT) ( G and H , n = 78/group) mice fed a 45% high-fat (HF) diet for 69 weeks
Common Gastrointestinal Symptoms Digestive side effects manifest in approximately 50% to 60% of patients, particularly as the body acclimates to the medication or during a dose increase