Berberine a traditional Chinese drug repurposing: Its actions in inflammation-associated ulcerative colitis and cancer therapy

Abstract

Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has a long history of treating dysentery in the clinic. Over the past two decades, the polytrophic, pharmacological, and biochemical properties of BBR have been intensively studied. The key functions of BBR, including anti-inflammation, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and even antitumor, have been discovered. However, the underlying mechanisms of BBR-mediated regulation still need to be explored. Given that BBR is also a natural nutrition supplement, the modulatory effects of BBR on nutritional immune responses have attracted more attention from investigators. In this mini-review, we summarized the latest achievements of BBR on inflammation, gut microbes, macrophage polarization, and immune responses associated with their possible tools in the pathogenesis and therapy of ulcerative colitis and cancer in recent 5 years. We also discuss the therapeutic efficacy and anti-inflammatory actions of BBR to benefit future clinical applications.

Analysis of Chemical Constituents of Miao Ethnomedicine Heiguteng Zhuifeng Huoluo Capsule (HZFC) and the Discovery of Active Substances in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…The seven active ingredients that have not been experimentally verified (8-oxoepiberberine, disinomenine, deosinomenine glucoside, tuduranine, isosinomenine, corydine methyl ether, and stepharanine) are alkaloids and their derivatives. Among them, 8-oxoepiberberine is a protoberberine alkaloid with rich biological activity and has shown excellent anti-inflammatory effects in various inflammatory diseases such as epilepsy and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. − Isoquinoline alkaloids or their derivatives in S. acutum, disinomenine, deosinomenine glucoside, tuduranine, isosinomenine, and corydine methyl ether are isoquinoline alkaloids or their derivatives in sinomenine.…”

“…Among them, 8-oxoepiberberine is a protoberberine alkaloid with rich biological activity and has shown excellent anti-inflammatory effects in various inflammatory diseases such as epilepsy and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. 55 − 57 Isoquinoline alkaloids or their derivatives in S. acutum , disinomenine, deosinomenine glucoside, tuduranine, isosinomenine, and corydine methyl ether are isoquinoline alkaloids or their derivatives in sinomenine. It has been found that these components can act on dendritic cells to block IL-6 production and terminate Th17 cell development, thereby significantly reducing the response of encephalitis T cells and inducing the improvement of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis animal models.…”

Nebivolol, an antihypertensive agent, has new application in inhibiting melanoma

“…The development of new antineoplastic drugs is confronted with great challenges, including huge investments, time-consuming, and high failure risks [9,10]. Owing to the thorough investigation of both preclinical and clinical properties, discovering existing drugs for new purposes is able to decrease research duration and costs, and has been widely concerned by more and more researchers and enterprises as an effective alternative strategy to accelerate the development of anticancer drugs [11][12][13]. Consequently, 'new tricks for old drugs' offer new insights in the field of anticancer drug development [14,15].…”

Lacidipine inhibits NF-κB and Notch pathways and mitigates DSS-induced colitis

“…This approach mitigates the risk of failure due to the established safety pro les of these drugs in humans and accelerates the drug development timeline. A few drugs have been discovered with anti-UC potential by conducting the drug repurposing strategy such as berberine [2] , atorvastatin [3] , topiramate [4] , troxerutin [5] ,…”