Berberrubine exerted a stronger lipid-lowering effect than berberine in vivo.
Berberrubine showed a specific nephrotoxicity especially in mice fed with HFD.
HFD aggravated the nephrotoxicity by influencing on the pharmacokinetic profile.
In vitro assessment showed berberrubine could produce a toxic effect on renal cells.
The primary metabolite of berberrubine did not show any obvious toxicity.