Berberine HCl
The single most-studied botanical for blood-glucose support. Multiple randomised trials (notably Yin 2008) compared 1,500mg/day berberine directly to metformin and found broadly comparable effects on HbA1c, fasting glucose, and lipid markers over 12 weeks. The mechanism is AMPK activation — the same cellular pathway metformin targets.
Studies: Yin 2008, Lan 2015, Dong 2012.