-
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia caused by resistance to insulin action, inadequate insulin secretion, or excessive... (Review)
Review
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia caused by resistance to insulin action, inadequate insulin secretion, or excessive glucagon production. Numerous studies have linked diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress. People with diabetes usually exhibit high oxidative stress due to persistent and chronic hyperglycemia, which impairs the activity of the antioxidant defense system and promotes the formation of free radicals. Recently, several studies have focused on exploring natural antioxidants to improve diabetes mellitus. has long been known as the native Borneo used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes. Taxonomically, this plant is part of the Menispermaceae family, widely known for producing various alkaloids. Among them are protoberberine alkaloids such as berberine. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid with many pharmacological activities. Berberine is receiving considerable interest because of its antidiabetic and antioxidant activities, which are based on many biochemical pathways. Therefore, this review explores the pharmacological effects of and its active constituent, berberine, against oxidative stress and diabetes, emphasizing its mechanistic aspects. This review also summarizes the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of berberine and in silico studies of berberine in several diseases and its protein targets.
Topics: Humans; Antioxidants; Berberine; Hypoglycemic Agents; Alkaloids; Hyperglycemia; Menispermaceae
PubMed: 36770960
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031294 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2021For women of reproductive age, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not a rare heterogeneous endocrine disorder and metabolic dysfunction. Menstrual problems,... (Review)
Review
For women of reproductive age, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not a rare heterogeneous endocrine disorder and metabolic dysfunction. Menstrual problems, hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovary (PCO) and infertility often affect these women, and they are also prone to metabolic syndrome (MS) and insulin resistance (IR). As an isoquinoline alkaloid, Berberine (BBR) is the main effective component of Coptis. BBR, as a multi-target, multi-path plant extract, can interfere with the development of PCOS and relate to pathological process from many aspects, with less adverse reactions. It is mentioned in this review that BBR can alleviate IR, reduce the level of serum androgen, regulate lipid metabolism and moderate chronic inflammation. BBR is often used in combination with metformin, compound cyproterone (CPA) and other drugs, in order to achieve better therapeutic effect on PCOS.
Topics: Animals; Berberine; Female; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Metabolic Syndrome; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Reactive Oxygen Species; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33740526
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111468 -
Journal of Immunology Research 2023Sepsis is defined as a dysregulated immune response to infection that leads to multiple organ dysfunction. To date, though a growing body of knowledge has gained insight... (Review)
Review
Sepsis is defined as a dysregulated immune response to infection that leads to multiple organ dysfunction. To date, though a growing body of knowledge has gained insight into the clinical risk factors, pathobiology, treatment response, and recovery methods, sepsis remains a significant concern and clinical burden. Therefore, further study is urgently needed to alleviate the acute and chronic outcomes. Berberine (BBR), a traditional Chinese medicine with multiple actions and mechanisms, has been investigated in cellular and rodent animal models of sepsis mainly based on its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the practical application of BBR in sepsis is still lacking, and it is imperative to systematically summarize the study of BBR in sepsis. This review summarized its pharmacological activities and mechanisms in septic-related organ injuries and the potential BBR-based therapeutic strategies for sepsis, which will provide comprehensive references for scientific research and clinical application.
Topics: Animals; Berberine; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Sepsis
PubMed: 36741234
DOI: 10.1155/2023/4452414 -
Cells Oct 2022Despite therapeutic advancements, lung cancer remains the principal cause of cancer mortality in a global scenario. The increased incidence of tumor reoccurrence and... (Review)
Review
Despite therapeutic advancements, lung cancer remains the principal cause of cancer mortality in a global scenario. The increased incidence of tumor reoccurrence and progression and the highly metastatic nature of lung cancer are of great concern and hence require the investigation of novel therapies and/or medications. Naturally occurring compounds from plants serve as important resources for novel drugs for cancer therapy. Amongst these phytochemicals, Berberine, an alkaloid, has been extensively explored as a potential natural anticancer therapeutic agent. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of Berberine in inhibiting cancer growth and progression mediated via several different mechanisms, which include cell cycle arrest, inducing cell death by apoptosis and autophagy, inhibiting cell proliferation and invasion, as well as regulating the expression of microRNA, telomerase activity, and the tumor microenvironment, which usually varies for different cancer types. In this review, we aim to provide a better understanding of molecular insights of Berberine and its various derivative-induced antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects against lung cancer. In conclusion, the Berberine imparts its anticancer efficacy against lung cancers via modulation of several signaling pathways involved in cancer cell viability and proliferation, as well as migration, invasion, and metastasis.
Topics: Humans; Berberine; Antineoplastic Agents; Lung Neoplasms; Apoptosis; Cell Proliferation; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 36359829
DOI: 10.3390/cells11213433 -
PloS One 2018The natural alkaloid berberine has been ascribed numerous health benefits including lipid and cholesterol reduction and improved insulin sensitivity in diabetics....
The natural alkaloid berberine has been ascribed numerous health benefits including lipid and cholesterol reduction and improved insulin sensitivity in diabetics. However, oral (PO) administration of berberine is hindered by poor bioavailability and increasing dose often elicits gastro-intestinal side effects. To overcome the caveats associated with oral berberine, we developed transdermal (TD) formulations of berberine (BBR) and the berberine precursor dihydroberberine (DHB). These formulations were compared to oral BBR using pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and general safety studies in vivo. To complete this work, a sensitive quantitative LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated according the FDA guidelines for bioanalytical methods to simultaneously measure berberine, simvastatin, and simvastatin hydroxy acid with relative quantification used for the berberine metabolite demethylene berberine glucuronide (DBG). Acute pharmacokinetics in Sprague-Dawley rats demonstrated a statistically relevant ranking for berberine bioavailability based upon AUC0-8 as DHB TD > BBR TD >> BBR PO with similar ranking for the metabolite DBG, indicating that transdermal administration achieves BBR levels well above oral administration. Similarly, chronic administration (14 days) resulted in significantly higher levels of circulating BBR and DBG in DHB TD treated animals. Chronically treated rats were given a single dose of simvastatin with no observed change in the drugs bioavailability compared with control, suggesting the increased presence of BBR had no effect on simvastatin metabolism. This observation was further supported by consistent CYP3A4 expression across all treatment groups. Moreover, no changes in kidney and liver biomarkers, including alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, were observed between treatment formats, and confirming previous reports that BBR has no effect on HMG-CoA expression. This study supports the safe use of transdermal compositions that improve on the poor bioavailability of oral berberine and have the potential to be more efficacious in the treatment of dyslipidemia or hypercholesterolemia.
Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Administration, Oral; Alanine Transaminase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Animals; Berberine; Calibration; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; Half-Life; Kidney; Limit of Detection; Liver; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Simvastatin; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 29579096
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194979 -
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences Sep 2023Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinical syndrome that declines ovarian function in women. Berberine (BBR) is a compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,...
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinical syndrome that declines ovarian function in women. Berberine (BBR) is a compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic activities. However, the role of BBR on POI is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of BBR on ovarian function decline by establishing a POI mouse model using cyclophosphamide (CTX) and busulfan (BU). Our results showed that POI was attenuated by BBR, which was evidenced by enhanced body weight and ovarian weight, improved morphology of ovary, increased the number of healthy follicles, decreased the production of atretic follicles and restored serum hormone levels, including estradiol, anti-Müllerian hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. In addition, we showed that germ cell function markers, mouse vasa homologue (MVH) and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) were enhanced by BBR, at both protein and mRNA levels. Furthermore, our results revealed that BBR inhibited inflammation and oxidative stress by reducing nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and enhancing nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways. Taken together, we demonstrate that BBR can effectively improve ovarian function in POI mice, which is mainly mediated by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Our study also provides new strategy for POI treatment.
Topics: Mice; Female; Humans; Animals; Busulfan; Berberine; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency; Cyclophosphamide; Estradiol
PubMed: 37524454
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2023.07.004 -
Pharmaceutical Biology Dec 2023Berberine is a potential drug that can effectively treat cardiovascular diseases, including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
CONTEXT
Berberine is a potential drug that can effectively treat cardiovascular diseases, including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of berberine for PVCs.
METHODS
The literature was searched using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to October 1, 2022. The risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was adopted to assess the quality of evidence.
RESULTS
Ten RCTs with 896 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that compared to antiarrhythmic drugs (AD), berberine (BE) combined with AD had a higher effective rate (RR = 1.26; 95% CI:1.12, 1.42; = 0.0001) with no significant incidence of adverse reactions (RR = 0.93; 95% CI:0.33, 2.57; = 0.88), and BE alone had no significant difference in effective rate (RR = 0.91; 95% CI:0.77, 1.07; = 0.23), and a lower incidence of adverse reactions (RR = 0.38; 95% CI:0.15, 0.97; = 0.04) and recurrence rate (RR = 0.40; 95% CI:0.18, 0.88; = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that BE is an effective and safe adjunctive method for PVCs. In addition, BE is recommended for patients with PVCs who had severe adverse reactions after administrating AD as an alternative therapy.
Topics: Humans; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Berberine; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; China
PubMed: 37855412
DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2023.2248167 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark... May 2022Natural products with known safety profiles are a promising source for the discovery of new drug leads. Berberine presents an example of one such phytochemical that has... (Review)
Review
Natural products with known safety profiles are a promising source for the discovery of new drug leads. Berberine presents an example of one such phytochemical that has been extensively studied for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties against myriads of diseases, ranging from respiratory disorders to viral infections. A growing body of research supports the pluripotent therapeutic role berberine may play against the dreaded disease COVID-19. The exact pathophysiological features of COVID-19 are yet to be elucidated. However, compelling evidence suggests inflammation and immune dysregulations as major features of this disease. Being a potent immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory agent, berberine may prove to be useful for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. This review aims to revisit the pharmacological anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory benefits of berberine on a multitude of respiratory infections, which like COVID-19, are known to adversely affect the airways and lungs. We speculate that berberine may help alleviate COVID-19 via preventing cytokine storm, restoring Th1/Th2 balance, and enhancing cell-mediated immunity. Furthermore, the role this promising phytochemical plays on other important inflammatory mediators involved in respiratory disorders will be underscored. We further highlight the role of berberine against COVID-19 by underscoring direct evidence from , , and studies suggesting the inhibitory potential berberine may play against three critical SARS-CoV-2 targets, namely main protease, spike protein, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. Further preclinical and clinical trials are certainly required to further substantiate the efficacy and potency of berberine against COVID-19 in humans.
Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Berberine; Humans; Lung; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 35638433
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2705166 -
Journal of Cellular and Molecular... Jan 2019Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid, is used in herbal medicine and has recently been shown to have efficacy in the treatment of mood disorders. Furthermore,... (Review)
Review
Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid, is used in herbal medicine and has recently been shown to have efficacy in the treatment of mood disorders. Furthermore, berberine modulates neurotransmitters and their receptor systems within the central nervous system. However, the detailed mechanisms of its action remain unclear. This review summarizes the pharmacological effects of berberine on mood disorders. Therefore, it may be helpful for potential application in the treatment of mood disorders.
Topics: Animals; Antidepressive Agents; Berberine; Depressive Disorder, Major; Humans; Hydrastis; Mood Disorders; Neuroprotective Agents; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations
PubMed: 30450823
DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13930 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2022Diabetic ulcer is a challenging complication of diabetes mellitus but current treatments cannot achieve satisfactory results. In this study, the effect of Huangbai...
Diabetic ulcer is a challenging complication of diabetes mellitus but current treatments cannot achieve satisfactory results. In this study, the effect of Huangbai liniment (HB) and berberine on the wound healing in high fat diet/streptozotocin injection induced diabetic rats was investigated by RNA-seq technology. HB topical treatment promoted wound healing in the diabetic patients and diabetic rats, and it affected multiple processes, of which IL-17 signalling pathway was of importance. Inhibiting IL-17a by its inhibitor or antibody remarkably facilitated wound healing and HB significantly repressed the high IL-17 expression and its downstream targets, including Cxcl1, Ccl2, Mmp3, Mmp9, G-CSF, IL1B and IL6, in diabetic wounds, promoted T-AOC, SOD activity and GSH levels; decreased the levels of nitrotyrosine and 8-OHdG; enhanced angiogenesis-related CD31, PDGF-BB and ANG1 expression; inhibited cleaved caspase-3 levels and promoted TIMP1 and TGFB1. Moreover, berberine (a major component in HB) repressed the IL-17 signalling pathway, and promoted wound healing in diabetes mellitus. This study highlights the strategy of targeting IL-17a in diabetic wounds, deepens the understanding of wound healing in diabetes mellitus in a dynamic way and reveals the characteristics of HB and berberine in promoting wound healing of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Topics: Animals; Berberine; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diet, High-Fat; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Interleukin-17; Liniments; Rats; Streptozocin; Wound Healing
PubMed: 35430394
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112948