Berberine, an isoquinoline plant alkaloid, has been known to generate a wide variety of biochemical and pharmacological effects. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanism for the berberine-induced enhancement of radio-sensitization, the human hepatoma HepG2 cells were treated with berberine combined with irradiation. The anti-tumor effect of gamma radiation was found to be significantly enhanced by berberine. The evidences of apoptosis, such as apoptotic DNA fragmentation and annexin V staining, were observed in the cells treated with the combination of berberine and irradiation. Additionally, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were apparently elevated in the combination system. The activations of p38, Bax, and caspase-3 were also detected in the irradiated cells pretreated with berberine. The productions of ROS and annexin V staining in the cells treated with the combination of berberine and irradiation were significantly inhibited by the specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, SB203580. The cell death induced by berberine alone or the combination of berberine and irradiation was suppressed by the anti-oxidant, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Taken together, the present results clearly indicate that the combination of berberine and gamma-radiation enhance the anti-cancer effects through the p38 MAPK pathway and ROS generation.

Berberine (BBR) has indicated significant antimicrobial activity against a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The mechanism by which BBR initiates apoptosis remains poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that BBR exhibited significant cytotoxicity in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Herein, we investigated cytotoxicity mechanism of BBR in HepG2 cells. The results showed that the induction of apoptosis in HepG2 cells by BBR was characterized by DNA fragmentation, an increased percentage of annexin V, and the activation of caspase-3. The expressions of Bcl-2 protein and pro-caspase-3 were reduced by BBR in HepG2 cells. However, Bax protein was increased in the cells. BBR-induced apoptosis was preceded by increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). NAC treatment, a scavenger of ROS, reversed BBR-induced apoptosis effects via inhibition of Bax activation and Bcl-2 inactivation. BBR-induced, dose-dependent induction of apoptosis was accompanied by sustained phosphorylation of MAP Kinases (JNK and p38 MAPK), ASK1, Akt, and p53. Furthermore, SB203580, p38 inhibitor, reduced the apoptotic effect of BBR, and blocks the generation of ROS and NO as well as activation of Bax. We found that the treatment of HepG2 cells with BBR triggers generation of ROS through Akt phosphorylation, resulting in dissociation of the ASK1-mediated activation of JNK and p38 pathways.

No abstract

To develop a health-aid preparation of Dioscorea batatas (DB), lactic acid fermentation was attempted using a mixed starter comprising of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium longum. The anaerobic fermentation of a 10% DB flour suspension gave a uniform suspension of pH 3.65, containing 8×10 6 CFU/mL lactic acid bacteria. During the administration of the lactic acid fermented DB (FDB) and DB to trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mouse model, histological lesions, morphological damage, and myeloperoxidase acitivity were significantly reduced at a dosage of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day. Dose-response (200 and 400 mg/kg/day) studies revealed that FDB pre-treatment of mice significantly ameliorated the appearance of diarrhoea and the disruption of colonic architecture. In FDB-pretreated mice, there was a significant reduction in the degree of both neutrophil infiltration (measured as decrease in myeloperoxidase activity) and weight loss rates. Theses findings suggest that FDB exerts beneficial effects in experimental colitis and may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.