Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 is a potent glucose-dependent insulinotropic gut hormone released from intestinal L cells. Our previous studies showed that berberine increased GLP-1 secretion in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The aim of this study was to investigate whether berberine affected GLP-1 release in normal rats and in NCI-H716 cells. Proglucagon and prohormone convertase 3 genes ...

OBJECTIVES Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid, has shown antitumor properties in some in vitro systems. But the effect of berberine on breast cancer has not yet been completely studied. In this study, we evaluated anticancer properties of berberine in comparison to doxorubicin. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antiproliferative effects of berberine and doxorubicin alone and in co...

PURPOSE Berberine is a type of isoquinoline alkaloid that has been used to treat various diseases. A neuroprotective effect of berberine against cerebral ischemia has been reported; however, the effects of berberine on apoptosis in relation to reactive astrogliosis and microglia activation under ischemic conditions have not yet been fully evaluated. In the present study, we investigated the eff...

Berberine, an important protoberberine isoquinoline alkaloid, has several pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, glucose- and cholesterol-lowering, antitumoral, and immunomodulatory properties. Substantial studies suggest that berberine may be beneficial to Alzheimer's disease (AD) by limiting the pathogenesis of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tang...

Berberine, an isoquinoline plant alkaloid, protects neurons against neurotoxicity. An excessive release of glutamate is considered to be one of the molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage in several neurological diseases. In this study, we investigated whether berberine could affect endogenous glutamate release in nerve terminals of rat cerebral cortex (synaptosomes) and explored the possible m...

Hwangryunhaedok-Tang (HR) and berberine-containing single herbs are used to treat bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in eastern Asia. The combination of berberine-containing herbal medicines and ciprofloxacin can be an excellent antibacterial chemotherapy against multidrug resistance bacteria. To evaluate the pretreatment effect of berberine and HR, vehicle, berberine (25 and 50 mg/k...

BACKGROUND Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid mainly extracted from Rhizoma Coptidis and has been shown to possess a potent inhibitory activity against bacterial. However, the role of berberine in anti-bacterial action has not been extensively studied. METHODS The animal model was established to investigate the effects of berberine on bacterial and LPS infection. Docking analysis, Molecula...

Berberine, as an alkaloid found in many Chinese herbs, improves vascular functions in patients with cardiovascular diseases. We determined the effects of berberine in hypertension and vascular ageing, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. In isolated aortas, berberine dose-dependently elicited aortic relaxation. In cultured cells, berberine induced the relaxation of vascular smooth muscle c...

Proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is central for the development of fibrosis during liver injury. Our aim in this study was to determine whether berberine could inhibit HSC proliferation in vitro and prevent experimental liver fibrosis in vivo. Activated rat hepatic stellate cells (CFSCs) were incubated with various concentrations (0-20 microg/ml) of berberine. After 48 h incubatio...

Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid, the majority of which is extracted from Huang Lian and other medicinal herbs. Numerous studies have revealed that berberine exhibits anticancer activity, however the mechanisms underlying this effect remain elusive. To examine these mechanisms, we analyzed the effects of berberine on a panel of DNA repair deficient chicken B lymphocyte (DT40) clones...