Berberine Reduces Uremia-Associated Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Damage

Abstract

Berberine is one of the main active constituents of Rhizoma coptidis, a traditional Chinese medicine, and has long been used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of berberine on the intestinal mucosal barrier damage in a rat uremia model induced by the 5/6 kidney resection. Beginning at postoperative week 4, the uremia rats were treated with daily 150 mg/kg berberine by oral gavage for 6 weeks. To assess the intestinal mucosal barrier changes, blood samples were collected for measuring the serum D-lactate level, and terminal ileum tissue samples were used for analyses of intestinal permeability, myeloperoxidase activity, histopathology, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Berberine treatment resulted in significant decreases in the serum D-lactate level, intestinal permeability, intestinal myeloperoxidase activity, and intestinal mucosal and submucosal edema and inflammation, and the Chiu's scores assessed for intestinal mucosal injury. The intestinal MDA level was reduced and the intestinal SOD activity was increased following berberine treatment. In conclusion, berberine reduces intestinal mucosal barrier damage induced by uremia, which is most likely due to its anti-oxidative activity. It may be developed as a potential treatment for preserving intestinal mucosal barrier function in patients with uremia.

Berberine: Botanical Occurrence, Traditional Uses, Extraction Methods, and Relevance in Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Hepatic, and Renal Disorders

“…Another reported use for berberine-containing plants is their application as an astringent agent to lower the tone of the skin. Also, positive effects were observed on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal system with effects on the associated ailments (Chen et al, 2014 ; Yu et al, 2016 ).…”

Bidirectional Effects of Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate on Severe Acute Pancreatitis in a Rat Model

“…15 However, an improperly high level of oxidative stress harms intestinal mucosal barrier since anti-oxidative materials can alleviate the impairment of gut barrier. 24,25 Since NF-κB induces oxidative stress generation, 16 the NF-κB inhibitor PDTC is able to function as an anti-oxidative stress agent. 26,27 In fact, PDTC was reported to improve the survival of taurocholate-induced SAP rats.…”

The possible association between AQP9 in the intestinal epithelium and acute liver injury‑induced intestinal epithelium damage

“…Therefore, the mucosal barrier exhibits physical, biochemical and immune features ( 25 ). However, numerous inflammatory diseases may induce intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction, including fulminant hepatitis ( 28 ), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, uremia, severe acute pancreatitis and peritoneal air exposure ( 29 – 31 ). A number of traditional Chinese medicines have been demonstrated to improve intestinal barrier function via inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB-mediated signaling pathway or antioxidative action, inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines and upregulation of zona occludens protein 1 mRNA and protein expression levels ( 29 , 32 – 34 ).…”