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Liver diseases are life-threatening illnesses and are the major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. These may include liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and druginduced liver toxicity. Liver diseases have a wide prevalence globally and the fifth most common cause of death among all gastrointestinal disorders. Several novel therapeutic approaches have emerged for the therapy of liver diseases that may provide better clinical outcomes with improved safety. The use of phytochemicals for the amelioration of liver diseases has gained considerable popularity. Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid of the protoberberine type, has emerged as a promising molecule for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Accumulating studies have proved the hepatoprotective effects of BBR. BBR has been shown to modulate multiple signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of liver diseases including Akt/FoxO2, PPAR-γ, Nrf2, insulin, AMPK, mTOR, and epigenetic pathways. In the present review, we have emphasized the important pharmacological activities and mechanisms of BBR in liver diseases. Further, we have reviewed various pharmacokinetic and toxicological barriers of this promising phytoconstituent. Finally, formulation-based novel approaches are also summarized to overcome the clinical hurdles for BBR.

Borneol is a commonly used flavouring substance in traditional Chinese medicine, which possesses several pharmacological activities including analgesic, antiinflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of borneol on cerulein‐induced acute pancreatitis (AP) model. Swiss albino mice were pretreated with borneol (100 and 300 mg/kg) daily for 7 days, before six consecutive injections of cerulein (50 μg/kg/hr, intraperitoneally). The protective effect of borneol was studied by biochemical, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, histological, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemical analysis. Oral administration of borneol significantly attenuated pancreatic damage by reducing amylase, lipase levels and histological changes. Borneol attenuated cerulein‐induced oxidative‐nitrosative stress by decreasing malondialdehyde, nitrite levels, and elevating reduced glutathione levels. Pancreatic inflammation was ameliorated by inhibiting myeloperoxidase activity and pro‐inflammatory cytokine (Interleukins and TNF‐α) levels. Furthermore, borneol administration significantly increased nuclear factor E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), superoxide dismutase (SOD1) expression and reduced phospho‐NF‐κB p65 expression. Treatment with borneol significantly inhibited TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in cerulein‐induced AP mouse model. Together, these results indicate that borneol which is currently used as US‐FDA approved food adjuvant has the potential to attenuate cerulein‐induced AP possibly by reducing the oxidative damage and pancreatic inflammation by modulating Nrf2/NF‐κB pathway.

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