Coptisine shows increased toxicity in mice in a concentration dependent manner, with LD50 value of 880.18 mg/kg. Coptisine (154 mg/kg/day, 90 days) shows no toxicity on SD rats. Coptisine (23.35, 46.7, 70.05 mg/kg, p.o.) dose-dependently decreases the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-c and increases HDL-c content in serum of hamsters to different degree, slows down weight gain induced by the HFHC diet, and raises the level of cholesterol and TBA in feces dose-dependently in hamsters. Coptisine (70.05 mg/kg, p.o.) suppresses HMGCR protein expression level and induces the protein expression of SREBP-2, LDLR, and CYP7A1 involved in cholesterol metabolism[2].
