Phytochemistry and pharmacology of berberis species

Inhibition of Autophagy by Berbamine Hydrochloride Mitigates Tumor Immune Escape by Elevating MHC-I in Melanoma Cells

Impaired tumor cell antigen presentation contributes significantly to immune evasion. This study identifies Berbamine hydrochloride (Ber), a compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine, as an effective inhibitor of autophagy that enhances antigen presentation in tumor cells. Ber increases MHC-I-mediated antigen presentation in melanoma cells, improving recognition and elimination by CD8+ T cells. Mutation of Atg4b, which blocks autophagy, also raises MHC-I levels on the cell surface, and further treatment with Ber under these conditions does not increase MHC-I, indicating Ber's role in blocking autophagy to enhance MHC-I expression. Additionally, Ber treatment leads to the accumulation of autophagosomes, with elevated levels of LC3-II and p62, suggesting a disrupted autophagic flux. Fluorescence staining and co-localization analyses reveal that Ber likely inhibits lysosomal acidification without hindering autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Importantly, Ber treatment suppresses melanoma growth in mice and enhances CD8+ T cell infiltration, supporting its therapeutic potential. Our findings demonstrate that Ber disturbs late-stage autophagic flux through abnormal lysosomal acidification, enhancing MHC-I-mediated antigen presentation and curtailing tumor immune escape.

Berbamine inhibits porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in vitro and in vivo

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a significant contributor to high mortality rates in piglets, posing a serious threat to the global pig industry. The absence of effective control measures and vaccines against circulating PEDV variants underscores the urgent need for new treatment strategies. In this study, we screened a compound library and identified Berbamine as a potential anti-PEDV drug through molecular docking techniques. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Berbamine significantly inhibits PEDV proliferation in Vero and IPEC-J2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, primarily targeting the replication phase of the PEDV life cycle. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that Berbamine effectively alleviates intestinal damage caused by PEDV infection in piglets, leading to a reduction in viral load and cytokine levels, including IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α. Additionally, autodock predictions indicate that viral non-structural proteins 3 and 16 (Nsp3 and Nsp16) are potential targets for Berbamine. Consequently, Berbamine holds significant promise for application and development as an antiviral treatment against PEDV.

Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Glioma: Focus on Molecular Mechanisms

Despite the waning of traditional treatments for glioma due to possible long-term issues, the healing possibilities of substances derived from nature have been reignited in the scientific community. These natural substances, commonly found in fruits and vegetables, are considered potential alternatives to pharmaceuticals, as they have been shown in prior research to impact pathways surrounding cancer progression, metastases, invasion, and resistance. This review will explore the supposed molecular mechanisms of different natural components, such as berberine, curcumin, coffee, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quercetin, tanshinone, silymarin, coumarin, and lycopene, concerning glioma treatment. While the benefits of a balanced diet containing these compounds are widely recognized, there is considerable scope for investigating the efficacy of these natural products in treating glioma.

Effects of Berberis vulgaris, and its active constituent berberine on cytochrome P450: a review

The cytochrome P450 (CYP450) family is crucial for metabolizing drugs and natural substances. Numerous compounds, such as pharmaceuticals and dietary items, can influence CYP activity by either enhancing or inhibiting these enzymes, potentially leading to interactions between drugs or between drugs and food. This research explores the impact of barberry and its primary component "berberine" on key human CYP450 enzymes. The text discusses the effects of this plant on the 12 primary human CYP450 enzymes, with summarized data presented in tables. Berberine exerts an influence on the function of various CYP450 isoforms, including CYP3A4/5, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, CYP1A1/2, and most isoforms within the CYP2B subfamily. Given the significant role of these CYP450 isoforms in metabolizing commonly used drugs and endogenous substances, as well as activating procarcinogens into carcinogenic metabolites, the influence of barberry and its active constituent on these enzymes may impact the pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles of various compounds. More specifically, regarding the crucial role of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in metabolizing clinically used drugs, and the inhibitory effects of berberine on these two CYP450 isoforms, it seems that the most important drug interaction of berberine that should be considered is related to its inhibitory effect on CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. In conclusion, due to the impact of barberry on multiple CYP450 isoforms, healthcare providers should conduct thorough consultations and investigations to ensure patient safety and prevent any potential adverse interactions before recommending the consumption of these herbs. Additional research, particularly clinical trials is crucial for preventing any potentially adverse interactions in patients who consume this herb.

Genus Berberis: A Comprehensive and Updated Review on Ethnobotanical Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities

Genus Berberis is an excellent choice for research due to its history in traditional medicine, diverse pharmacological properties, and it has potential for drug discovery. This review presents information on the ethnobotany, pharmacological activities, and many phytochemicals identified from Berberis species. It examines the existing literature on the genus Berberis, drawn from online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Elsevier, and Google Scholar, etc encompassing the data from 1960 to 2023. This review focuses on the structural details of reported phytochemicals of Berberis species and pharmacological actions. Different extraction techniques were evaluated for extracts preparation. According to literature review, phytochemical analysis exhibited the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. A major bioactive alkaloid, berberine exhibits its main role in treatment of many gastric, infectious, and chronic disorders. This literature indicates that Berberis genus exhibits a variety of biological activities, i.e anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, antidiabetic and antioxidant activities and utilization of these effects in the treatment and management of various diseases, like diabetes, microbial infections, inflammation, liver disorders, and cancer. However, conventional medicines, validation of traditional uses, and in-depth phytochemical analysis are areas of research in genus Berberis.

Berberis vulgaris L. Root Extract as a Multi-Target Chemopreventive Agent against Colon Cancer Causing Apoptosis in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines

Berberis vulgaris L. (Berberidaceae) is a shrub that has been widely used in European folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the mechanisms of the chemopreventive action of the plant's methanolic root extract (BVR) against colon cancer cells. Studies were conducted in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (LS180 and HT-29) and control colon epithelial CCD841 CoN cells. According to the MTT assay, after 48 h of cell exposure, the IC50 values were as follows: 4.3, 46.1, and 50.2 µg/mL for the LS180, HT-29, and CCD841 CoN cells, respectively, showing the greater sensitivity of the cancer cells to BVR. The Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS kit demonstrated that BVR induced programmed cell death only against HT-29 cells. Nuclear double staining revealed the great proapoptotic BVR properties in HT-29 cells and subtle effect in LS180 cells. RT-qPCR with the relative quantification method showed significant changes in the expression of genes related to apoptosis in both the LS180 and HT-29 cells. The genes BCL2L1 (126.86-421.43%), BCL2L2 (240-286.02%), CASP3 (177.19-247.83%), and CASP9 (157.99-243.75%) had a significantly elevated expression, while BCL2 (25-52.03%) had a reduced expression compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, in a panel of antioxidant tests, BVR showed positive effects (63.93 ± 0.01, 122.92 ± 0.01, and 220.29 ± 0.02 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g in the DPPH•, ABTS•+, and ORAC assays, respectively). In the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition test, BVR revealed 62.60 ± 0.87% of enzyme inhibition. The chemical composition of BVR was determined using a UHPLC-UV-CAD-MS/MS analysis and confirmed the presence of several known alkaloids, including berberine, as well as other alkaloids and two derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid (ferulic and sinapic acid hexosides). The results are very promising and encourage the use of BVR as a comprehensive chemopreventive agent (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-apoptotic) in colorectal cancer, and were widely discussed alongside data from the literature.

Current Advances in Japanese Encephalitis Virus Drug Development

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) belongs to the Flaviviridae family and is a representative mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible for acute encephalitis and meningitis in humans. Despite the availability of vaccines, JEV remains a major public health threat with the potential to spread globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 69,000 cases of JE each year, and this figure is probably an underestimate. The majority of JE victims are children in endemic areas, and almost half of the surviving patients have motor or cognitive sequelae. Thus, the absence of a clinically approved drug for the treatment of JE defines an urgent medical need. Recently, several promising and potential drug candidates were reported through drug repurposing studies, high-throughput drug library screening, and de novo design. This review focuses on the historical aspects of JEV, the biology of JEV replication, targets for therapeutic strategies, a target product profile, and drug development initiatives.

Effect of salicylic acid elicitor on antioxidant potential and chemical composition of in vitro raised plants of Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex DC

The present study for the first time investigated the effects of Salicylic acid (SA) (50, 100 and 200 mg/L) on in vitro growth and antioxidant capacity of Berberis asiatica. SA significantly enhanced in vitro shoot multiplication at 100 mg/L concentration. The result showed highest significant increase in antioxidant activity by 50 mg/L SA elicited plantlets in terms of DPPH (2,2-Di-phenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity (IC50 32.42 ± 0.51), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Activity (292.73 ± 2.09 mg AAE/g dw) and Metal Chelating Activity (IC50 13.18 ± 0.52). The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling revealed presence of 46, 38, 34 and 29 phytochemicals in control, SA1, SA2 and SA3 methanolic extracts respectively. Among the identified compounds, eight compounds, 4H-Pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl; 1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxy-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid; 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol (and Phytol); hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-,methyl ester; di-n-octyl phthalate; stigmast-5-en-3-ol,(3.beta.)- or ß- sitosterol; and squalene were previously known for antioxidant potential.

The Use of Natural Bioactive Nutraceuticals in the Management of Tick-Borne Illnesses

The primary objective of this paper is to provide an evidence-based update of the literature on the use of bioactive phytochemicals, nutraceuticals, and micronutrients (dietary supplements that provide health benefits beyond their nutritional value) in the management of persistent cases of Borrelia burgdorferi infection (Lyme disease) and two other tick-borne pathogens, Babesia and Bartonella species. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology and mechanisms of persistent infections. These advances have increasingly enabled clinicians and patients to utilize a wider set of options to manage these frequently disabling conditions. This broader toolkit holds the promise of simultaneously improving treatment outcomes and helping to decrease our reliance on the long-term use of pharmaceutical antimicrobials and antibiotics in the treatment of tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia, and Bartonella.

Flowers and Inflorescences of Selected Medicinal Plants as a Source of Triterpenoids and Phytosterols

Steroids and triterpenoids are compounds valued for their various biological and pharmacological properties; however, their content in medicinal and edible plants is often understudied. Flowers have been consumed since the ancient times as a part of traditional cuisine and as alternative medicines. Currently, the interest in medicinal and edible flowers is growing since contemporary consumers are incessantly seeking innovative natural sources of bioactive compounds. The aim of this report was the GC-MS (gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis of steroid and triterpenoid content in flowers, inflorescences and leaves of several plants (Berberis vulgaris L., Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC., Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill., Rosa rugosa Thunb., Sambucus nigra L. and Vinca minor L.), applied in herbal medicine in various forms, including isolated flowers (Flos), inflorescences (Inflorescentia) or aerial parts (Herba, i.e., combined flowers, leaves and stems). The most abundant source of triterpenoids was V. minor flowers (6.3 mg/g d.w.), whereas the steroids were prevailing in P. vulgaris flowers (1.8 and 1.1 mg/g). The profiles of triterpenoid acids and neutral triterpenoids in C. laevigata and S. nigra inflorescences were particularly diverse, involving compounds belonging to lupane-, oleanane- and ursane-type skeletons. The obtained results revealed that some flowers can constitute an abundant source of phytosterols and bioactive triterpenoids, valuable for utilization in functional foods, dietary supplements and cosmetic products.

Mining Therapeutic Efficacy from Treasure Chest of Biodiversity and Chemodiversity: Pharmacophylogeny of Ranunculales Medicinal Plants

Ranunculales, comprising of 7 families that are rich in medicinal species frequently utilized by traditional medicine and ethnomedicine, represents a treasure chest of biodiversity and chemodiversity. The phylogenetically related species often have similar chemical profile, which makes them often possess similar therapeutic spectrum. This has been validated by both ethnomedicinal experiences and pharmacological investigations. This paper summarizes molecular phylogeny, chemical constituents, and therapeutic applications of Ranunculales, i.e., a pharmacophylogeny study of this representative medicinal order. The phytochemistry/metabolome, ethnomedicine and bioactivity/pharmacology data are incorporated within the phylogenetic framework of Ranunculales. The most studied compounds of this order include benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, flavonoid, terpenoid, saponin and lignan, etc. Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids are especially abundant in Berberidaceae and Menispermaceae. The most frequent ethnomedicinal uses are arthritis, heat-clearing and detoxification, carbuncle-abscess and sore-toxin. The most studied bioactivities are anticancer/cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities, etc. The pharmacophylogeny analysis, integrated with both traditional and modern medicinal uses, agrees with the molecular phylogeny based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences, in which Ranunculales is divided into Ranunculaceae, Berberidaceae, Menispermaceae, Lardizabalaceae, Circaeasteraceae, Papaveraceae, and Eupteleaceae families. Chemical constituents and therapeutic efficacy of each taxonomic group are reviewed and the underlying connection between phylogeny, chemodiversity and clinical uses is revealed, which facilitate the conservation and sustainable utilization of Ranunculales pharmaceutical resources, as well as developing novel plant-based pharmacotherapy.

Berbamine hydrochloride inhibits bovine viral diarrhea virus replication via interfering in late-stage autophagy

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a harmful pathogen that easily causes large-scale infections and huge economic losses to the cattle industry. Berbamine hydrochloride (BBH) is a natural product extracted from berberis and has a wide range of pharmacological effects. However, the antiviral effect of BBH against BVDV needs to be further elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the antiviral activities of BBH against BVDV infection. We mainly used RT-qPCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and TEM assays to assess the inhibitory activity of BBH against BVDV. The results showed that BBH had an inhibitory effect on BVDV and higher inhibitory activity in the viral attachment and release in MDBK cells. This study found that BVDV could induce and use autophagy to replicate itself. Further results showed that BBH inhibited BVDV infection by inhibiting autophagy integrity in BVDV-infected cells, which was proven by the detection of autophagy-related proteins. Our data show that in BBH-treated BVDV-infected cells, the expression of p62 and LC3 increased over time. After the addition of an autophagy inhibitor, chloroquine (CQ), and an autophagy promoter, rapamycin (Rapa), we found that promoting autophagy was beneficial to the replication of BVDV, while inhibiting autophagy could reduce the number of infections by BVDV, which was evidenced by the expression of the BVDV E2 protein. Furthermore, BBH blocked the normal binding of LC3 and LAMP1 in BVDV-infected cells. In conclusion, BBH inhibited BVDV infection by inhibiting BVDV-induced autophagy in cells, and its inhibitory effect was obvious in the viral attachment and release stages. Therefore, our study provides a new idea for exploring novel anti-BVDV drugs.

Partial substitution of alfalfa hay by Berberis vulgaris leaf modulated the growth performance, meat quality and antioxidant status of fattening lambs

BACKGROUND

Undoubtedly, global warming has caused a decrease in the production of agricultural commodities. This problem has increased the price of animal feed due to competition with human consumption. Meanwhile, the physiology of ruminants gives them the ability to use by-products and agricultural waste and supply their requirements for growth, maintenance and even production. Berberis vulgaris is a plant native to Iran, and after separating the fruit, its waste (mainly leaf) is unused and causes environmental pollution. The leaves of this plant contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds, alkaloids and anthocyanins that have antioxidant properties.

OBJECTIVES

This experiment was conducted with the aim of determining the chemical properties of barberry leaves, such as crude protein, phenolic compounds, tannins and alkaloids. The effects of substituting of B. vulgaris leaf (BVL) in the diet on performance characteristics of fattening Baluchi lambs were evaluated. The quality and antioxidant status of meat and blood parameters such as glucose, cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen and liver enzymes were investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 21 male of 5-6 months old lambs with a mean body weight of 30.60 ± 1.28 kg were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments with different levels of BVL: 1-diet without BVL (control), 2-diet containing 7.5% BVL (BVL7.5), and 3-diet containing 15% BVL (BVL15; dry matter [DM] basis). Blood samples were harvested after overnight fasting from the jugular vein at 0, 28, 56 and 84 days. The lambs were slaughtered after 84 days of feeding trial and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was dissected. Meat quality and antioxidant stability status were measured.

RESULTS

15% substitution of alfalfa hay by BVL (BVL15) increased DM intake) and decreased average daily gain (p ≤ 0.05). The LD muscle (p ≤ 0.05), liver (p ≤ 0.01) and plasma (p ≤ 0.05) samples of lambs fed either BVL7.5 or BVL15 displayed a greater total antioxidant capacity than that of lambs fed the control diet. Also, malondialdehyde concentration was decreased in plasma (p ≤ 0.01) and LD muscle of lambs (p ≤ 0.05) fed both BVL7.5 and BVL15. In addition, higher a* and C* values (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the meat of lambs fed BVL15 than those fed with the control, while the lightness (L*) in BVL15 was lower, compared to other experimental diets CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results indicated that 7.5% substitution of alfalfa hay by BVL may positively modulate the antioxidant status of fattening lambs and improve the colour stability of meat without negative effects on performance characteristics.

Comparative Transcriptomics for Genes Related to Berberine and Berbamine Biosynthesis in Berberidaceae

Berberine and berbamine are bioactive compounds of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) present in Berberis species. The contents of berbamine are 20 times higher than berberine in leaf tissues in three closely related species: Berberis koreana, B. thunbergii and B. amurensis. This is the first report on the quantification of berberine compared to the berbamine in the Berberis species. Comparative transcriptome analyses were carried out with mRNAs from the leaf tissues of the three-species. The comparison of the transcriptomes of B. thunbergii and B. amurensis to those of B. koreana, B. thunbergii showed a consistently higher number of differentially expressed genes than B. amurensis in KEGG and DEG analyses. All genes encoding enzymes involved in berberine synthesis were identified and their expressions were variable among the three species. There was a single copy of CYP80A/berbamunine synthase in B. koreana. Methyltransferases and cytochrome P450 mono-oxidases (CYPs) are key enzymes for BIA biosynthesis. The current report contains the copy numbers and other genomic characteristics of the methyltransferases and CYPs in Berberis species. Thus, the contents of the current research are valuable for molecular characterization for the medicinal utilization of the Berberis species.

Antinociceptive effect of plant-based natural products in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies: A systematic review

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most prevalent and difficult-to-treat symptoms in cancer patients. For this reason, the explore for unused helpful choices able of filling these impediments is essential. Natural products from plants stand out as a valuable source of therapeutic agents, being options for the treatment of this growing public health problem. Therefore, the objective of this study was to report the effects of natural products from plants and the mechanisms of action involved in the reduction of neuropathy caused by chemotherapy. The search was performed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science in March/2021. Two reviewers independently selected the articles and extracted data on characteristics, methods, study results and methodological quality (SYRCLE). Twenty-two studies were selected, describing the potential effect of 22 different phytochemicals in the treatment of CIPN, with emphasis on terpenes, flavonoids and alkaloids. The effect of these compounds was demonstrated in different experimental protocols, with several action targets being proposed, such as modulation of inflammatory mediators and reduction of oxidative stress. The studies demonstrated a predominance of the risk of uncertain bias for randomization, baseline characteristics and concealment of the experimental groups. Our findings suggest a potential antinociceptive effect of natural products from plants on CIPN, probably acting in several places of action, being strategic for the development of new therapeutic options for this multifactorial condition.

Inhibition of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase of Anthocyanin Isolated from Berberis integerrima Bunge Fruits: A Model of Antidiabetic Compounds

Anthocyanins are components of the flavonoid group with different properties, such as antidiabetic properties. This study aimed to isolate anthocyanin from Berberis integerrima Bunge fruits and evaluate α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition by this mentioned anthocyanin. The anthocyanin of Berberis integerrima fruit was isolated using column chromatography, and the antidiabetic properties of the anthocyanin were determined by the levels of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition. Km and Vmax were also evaluated using the GraphPad Prism 7. The results of this study showed that the anthocyanin content of the fruit extract was 14.36 ± 0.33 mg/g, and following purification, this amount increased to 34.51 ± 0.42 mg/g. The highest of α-glucosidase inhibition was observed in the purified anthocyanin with IC₅₀ = 0.71 ± 0.085 mg/ml, compared to acarbose as the baseline with IC₅₀ = 8.8 ± 0.14 mg/ml, p < 0.0001. Purified anthocyanin of the mentioned fruit with IC₅₀ = 1.14 ± 0.003 mg/ml had the greatest α-amylase inhibition, which was similar to acarbose as the standard with IC₅₀ = 1 ± 0.085 mg/ml, p < 0.05. The inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase by purified anthocyanin showed uncompetitive inhibition, and the enzyme inhibition by unpurified anthocyanin showed mixed inhibition. The obtained findings showed that Berberis integerrima fruit can be mentioned as a source of anthocyanin with antidiabetic properties.

Regulation of Cell-Signaling Pathways by Berbamine in Different Cancers

Natural product research is a cornerstone of the architectural framework of clinical medicine. Berbamine is a natural, potent, pharmacologically active biomolecule isolated from Berberis amurensis. Berbamine has been shown to modulate different oncogenic cell-signaling pathways in different cancers. In this review, we comprehensively analyze how berbamine modulates deregulated pathways (JAK/STAT, CAMKII/c-Myc) in various cancers. We systematically analyze how berbamine induces activation of the TGF/SMAD pathway for the effective inhibition of cancer progression. We also summarize different nanotechnological strategies currently being used for proficient delivery of berbamine to the target sites. Berbamine has also been reported to demonstrate potent anti-cancer and anti-metastatic effects in tumor-bearing mice. The regulation of non-coding RNAs by berbamine is insufficiently studied, and future studies must converge on the identification of target non-coding RNAs. A better understanding of the regulatory role of berbamine in the modulation of non-coding RNAs and cell-signaling pathways will be advantageous in the effective translation of laboratory findings to clinically effective therapeutics.

Gastroprotective effect of Berberis vulgaris on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury: Histopathological evaluations

OBJECTIVE

Modern treatment of peptic ulcers includes antibacterial and gastroprotective medications. However, current anti-ulcer drugs possess severe side effects. Therefore, all attempts to find new effective medications free from side effects are justified. Though Berberis vulgaris is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of numerous disorders, gastroprotective effect of its leaf extract was not investigated before.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gastric ulcer was modelled in Sprague-Dawley rats after treatment with B. vulgaris leaf extract containing 0.07% of alkaloids, 0.48% of flavonoids and 8.05% of tanning substances, 10 or 50 mg of dry extract/kg, changes in the stomach mucosa were assessed semi-quantitatively, and the gastric wall was evaluated for prostaglandin E2 level using ELISA and assessed histologically by calculation of the lesion index.

RESULTS

B. vulgaris leaf extract at the dose of 50 mg/kg reduced the macroscopic ulcer score and the microscopic lesion index, increased prostaglandin E2 concentration in the gastric wall significantly higher than atropine and B. vulgaris leaf extract 10 mg/kg.

CONCLUSION

The gastroprotective effect of the high dose of B. vulgaris leaf extract may be due to stimulation of prostaglandin E2 secretion in the stomach, and anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenolic complex of flavonoids and tannins present in the leaves of this plant.

Complete biosynthesis of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids guattegaumerine and berbamunine in yeast

This work demonstrates microbial biosynthesis of bisbenzylisoquinoline (bisBIA) alkaloids. We show that several didomain epimerases can function in yeast to epimerize the nonnative substrate N-methylcoclaurine, an essential step in bisBIA biosynthesis. The N-methylcoclaurine epimerase activity was increased 10-fold by combining individual reductase and oxidase domains from different plant species. Strain engineering and optimization of media and growth conditions increased the bisBIA titer over 10,000-fold. We show that strains can be engineered to primarily produce one bisBIA product by selection of the cytochrome P450 variant that couples the monomer BIA subunits. We then leverage our bisBIA biosynthetic strain as a platform for the screening of other plant enzymes to produce two additional plant natural products de novo in a heterologous host.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a diverse class of medicinal plant natural products. Nearly 500 dimeric bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (bisBIAs), produced by the coupling of two BIA monomers, have been characterized and display a range of pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiarrhythmic activities. In recent years, microbial platforms have been engineered to produce several classes of BIAs, which are rare or difficult to obtain from natural plant hosts, including protoberberines, morphinans, and phthalideisoquinolines. However, the heterologous biosyntheses of bisBIAs have thus far been largely unexplored. Here, we describe the engineering of yeast strains that produce the Type I bisBIAs guattegaumerine and berbamunine de novo. Through strain engineering, protein engineering, and optimization of growth conditions, a 10,000-fold improvement in the production of guattegaumerine, the major bisBIA pathway product, was observed. By replacing the cytochrome P450 used in the final coupling reaction with a chimeric variant, the product profile was inverted to instead produce solely berbamunine. Our highest titer engineered yeast strains produced 108 and 25 mg/L of guattegaumerine and berbamunine, respectively. Finally, the inclusion of two additional putative BIA biosynthesis enzymes, SiCNMT2 and NnOMT5, into our bisBIA biosynthetic strains enabled the production of two derivatives of bisBIA pathway intermediates de novo: magnocurarine and armepavine. The de novo heterologous biosyntheses of bisBIAs presented here provide the foundation for the production of additional medicinal bisBIAs in yeast.

Tibetan Medicine for Diabetes Mellitus: Overview of Pharmacological Perspectives

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications pose a major public health threat which is approaching epidemic proportions globally. Current drug options may not provide good efficacy and even cause serious adverse effects. Seeking safe and effective agents for DM treatment has been an area of intensive interest. As a healing system originating in Tibet, Traditional Tibetan Medicine (TTM) has been widely used by Tibetan people for the prevention and treatment of DM and its complications for hundreds of years. Tibetan Materia Medica (TMM) including the flower of Edgeworthia gardneri (Wall.) Meisn., Phyllanthi Fructus, Chebulae Fructus, Huidouba, and Berberidis Cortex are most frequently used and studied. These TMMs possess hypoglycemic, anti-insulin resistant, anti-glycation, lipid lowering, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects. The underlying mechanisms of these actions may be related to their α-glucosidase inhibitory, insulin signaling promoting, PPARs-activating, gut microbiota modulation, islet β cell-preserving, and TNF-α signaling suppressive properties. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the mode and mechanisms of action of various active constituents, extracts, preparations, and formulas from TMM. The dynamic beneficial effects of the products prepared from TMM for the management of DM and its complications are summarized. These TMMs are valuable materia medica which have the potential to be developed as safe and effective anti-DM agents.

Treatment of Parkinson's disease in Zebrafish model with a berberine derivative capable of crossing blood brain barrier, targeting mitochondria, and convenient for bioimaging experiments

Berberine is a famous alkaloid extracted from Berberis plants and has been widely used as medications and functional food additives. Recent studies reveal that berberine exhibits neuroprotective activity in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders all over the world. However, the actual site of anti-PD action of berberine remains largely unknown. To this end, we employed a fluorescently labeled berberine derivative BBRP to investigate the subcellular localization and blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability in a cellular model of PD and zebrafish PD model. Biological investigations revealed that BBRP retained the neuroprotective activity of berberine against PD-like symptoms in PC12 cells and zebrafish, such as protecting 6-OHDA induced cell death, relieving MPTP induced PD-like behavior and increasing dopaminergic neuron loss in zebrafish. We also found that BBRP could readily penetrate BBB and function in the brain of zebrafish suffering from PD. Subcellular localization study indicated that BBRP could rapidly and specifically accumulate in mitochondria of PC12 cells when it exerted anti-PD effect. In addition, BBRP could suppress accumulation of Pink1 protein and inhibit the overexpression of LC3 protein in 6-OHDA damaged cells. All these results suggested that the potential site of action of berberine is mitochondria in the brain under the PD condition. Therefore, the findings described herein would be useful for further development of berberine as an anti-PD drug.

Palmatine, a Bioactive Protoberberine Alkaloid Isolated from Berberis cretica, Inhibits the Growth of Human Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Cells and Acts Synergistically and Additively with Doxorubicin

Palmatine (PLT) is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid that belongs to the class of protoberberines and exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological and biological properties, including anti-cancer activity. The aim of our study was to isolate PLT from the roots of Berberis cretica and investigate its cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects in vitro alone and in combination with doxorubicine (DOX) using human ER⁺/HER2⁻ breast cancer cell lines. The alkaloid was purified by column chromatography filled with silica gel NP and Sephadex LH-20 resin developed in the mixture of methanol: water (50:50 v/v) that provided high-purity alkaloid for bioactivity studies. The purity of the alkaloid was confirmed by high resolution mass measurement and MS/MS fragmentation analysis in the HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS-based analysis. It was found that PLT treatment inhibited the viability and proliferation of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner as demonstrated by MTT and BrdU assays. PLT showed a quite similar growth inhibition on breast cancer cells with IC₅₀ values ranging from 5.126 to 5.805 µg/mL. In contrast, growth of normal human breast epithelial cells was not affected by PLT. The growth inhibitory activity of PLT was related to the induction of apoptosis, as determined by Annexin V/PI staining. Moreover, PLT sensitized breast cancer cells to DOX. Isobolographic analysis revealed synergistic and additive interactions between studied agents. Our studies suggest that PLT can be a potential candidate agent for preventing and treating breast cancer.

Synthesis, Characterization and Fluorescence Properties of Novel Porous Fe/ZnO Nano-Hybrid Assemblies by Using Berberis thunbergii Extract

In this work, novel Fe/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) and Fe nanoparticles loaded onto porous ZnO nanostructures have been synthesized via a simple biotechnological route by using Berberis thunbergii extract. In this direction, the as-synthesized bio-based porous ZnO derivatives and human serum albumin (HSA), as a biopolymeric model, form nano-hybrid assemblies. The effect of loading Fe on properties of porous ZnO nanostructures as well as the behavior of the nano-hybrid assemblies were evaluated by using XRD, SEM, EDX, DLS, PL, CD, FTIR and UV/Visible-diffuse reflectance spectra (UV/Vis-DRS) techniques. The fluorescence results revealed that the interaction of Fe/ZnO NCs with HSA biopolymer led to the formation of a ground state complexes as nano-hybrid assemblies. The calculated thermodynamic parameters indicated that the binding process occurred spontaneously. The CD and FTIR spectra confirmed the changes in helicity of HSA as well as the random coil and β-turn in the secondary structure of HSA upon interaction with Fe/ZnO NCs.

Gene Expression and Isoform Identification of PacBio Full-Length cDNA Sequences for Berberine Biosynthesis in Berberis koreana

Berberis koreana is a medicinal plant containing berberine, which is a bioactive compound of the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) class. BIA is widely used in the food and drug industry for its health benefits. To investigate the berberine biosynthesis pathway, gene expression analysis was performed in leaves, flowers, and fruits at different stages of growth. This was followed by full-length cDNA sequencing analysis using the PacBio sequencer platform to determine the number of isoforms of those expressed genes. We identified 23,246 full-length unigenes, among which 8479 had more than one isoform. The number of isoforms ranged between two to thirty-one among all genes. Complete isoform analysis was carried out on the unigenes encoding BIA synthesis. Thirteen of the sixteen genes encoding enzymes for berberine synthesis were present in more than one copy. This demonstrates that gene duplication and translation into isoforms may contribute to the functional specificity of the duplicated genes and isoforms in plant alkaloid synthesis. Our study also demonstrated the streamlining of berberine biosynthesis via the absence of genes for enzymes of other BIAs, but the presence of all the genes for berberine biosynthesize in B. koreana. In addition to genes encoding enzymes for the berberine biosynthesis pathway, the genes encoding enzymes for other BIAs were not present in our dataset except for those encoding corytuberine synthase (CTS) and berbamunine synthase (BS). Therefore, this explains how B. koreana produces berberine by blocking the pathways leading to other BIAs, effectively only allowing the pathway to lead to berberine synthesis.

Acute and repeated dose 60-day oral toxicity assessment of chemically characterized Berberis hispanica Boiss. and Reut in Wistar rats

Berberis hispanica Boiss. & Reut (B. hispanica) belongs to the family Berberidaceae, which is currently used in traditional medicines. This article aimed to study the phytochemical composition and acute and subacute toxicity of B. hispanica extract in rats. The phytochemical composition of B. hispanica extract was characterized using GC-MS. The acute toxicity was investigated in vivo via the oral administration of single doses including 400, 800, 1,000, 1,200, and 1,400 mg/kg for 14 days. The subchronic toxicity was studied through oral administration of 400 mg/kg for 60 days. The findings of the phytochemical analysis of B. hispanica extract showed the presence of various phytochemical compounds. Acute toxicity results revealed serious clinical symptoms and mortalities in rats treated with 800 mg/kg up to a maximum of 1,400 mg/kg. With acute toxicity, subchronic toxicity results showed also serious signs of toxicity including biochemical and histological alterations in animals treated with 1,400 mg/kg. B. hispanica extract revealed to be toxic in rats orally treated under both subacute (>400 mg/kg) and subchronic toxicity conditions (400 mg/kg). The outcome of this study serves the society as it provides toxicological evidence of B. hispanica used in alternative medicines

Antioxidant and Understanding the Anticancer Properties in Human Prostate and Breast Cancer Cell Lines of Chemically Characterized Methanol Extract from Berberis hispanica Boiss. & Reut

The current research was conducted to investigate the chemical profile, antiproliferative, and antioxidant activities of methanol extracts obtained by two different methods including maceration and Soxhlet from Berberis hispanica Boiss. & Reut. Antiproliferative activities were evaluated by the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay in four human cancer cell lines including prostate (LnCap and 22 RV1) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7). The antioxidant power was evaluated by DPPH ((2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and FRAPS (Ferric reducing antioxidant power) tests. The chemical composition was conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after methylation. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The phytochemical analysis showed that the tested extracts possessed inserting potentially active compounds. The MTT test revealed that both extracts (maceration and Soxhlet) reduced cell viability in all cell lines tested. In breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, the IC50 values obtained by maceration were 16.55 ± 0.58 and 17.95 ± 0.58 µg/mL, respectively. These values were slightly lower than those obtained with the Soxhlet extract toward MDA-MB-231 (19.93 ± 0.74 µg/mL) and MCF-7 (20.22 ± 0.89 µg/mL). Regarding prostate cancer cells 22 RV and LnCap, the IC50 values obtained by maceration extract (22 RV: 11.75 ± 0.35 µg/mL; LnCap: 11.91 ± 0.54 µg/mL) were also slightly lower than those obtained with Soxhlet (22 RV: 13.47 ± 0.52 µg/mL; LnCap: 19.64 ± 1.05 µg/mL). The antioxidant activity showed that the studied extracts had considerable antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS) with particular attention to the extract obtained with maceration. The Berberis hispanica Bois. and Reut. can serve society as it provides potentially bioactive compounds that may find application in the medical sector to control such diseases.

Establishment of a High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Spectral Library for Screening Toxic Natural Products

Many natural products have biological effects on humans and animals. Poisoning caused by natural products is common in clinical toxicology cases. Liquid chromatography-high-resolution-mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) has recently emerged as a powerful analytical tool for large-scale target screening, and the application of LC-HRMS can be expanded to evaluate potential natural product poisoning in clinical cases. We report the construction of an LC-HRMS spectral library of 95 natural products commonly implicated in poisoning, and an LC-HRMS assay was validated for definitive detection of natural products in urine and serum samples. For each compound, the limit of detection (LOD) was determined in the analytical range of 1.0 - 1000 ng/mL for urine samples and 0.50 - 500 ng/mL for serum samples. The mean (SD) of matrix effects for urine samples and that for serum samples were both -21% (22%), and the mean (SD) of recovery for serum samples was 89% (26%). The LC-HRMS assay was successfully applied to identify natural products in clinical cases. The spectral library parameters of each compound are provided in the supplementary material to aid other laboratories in identification of unknown natural toxins and development of similar methods on different mass spectrometry platforms.

Role of particle aggregates in herbal medicine decoction showing they are not useless: considering Coptis chinensis decoction as an example

A large number of plants and fungi are homologs of medicine and food, and are used in the form of decoctions for complementary foods, dietary cures, and disease therapy in traditional medicine. Besides the widespread concern around the physiological and pharmacological actions of the active ingredients, the phase change in decoction and its influences on the active ingredients' absorption should not be ignored. Lots of particle aggregates are generated during the decoction of herbal medicine and then end up being taken together with the active ingredients. The question arises, "Is the absorption of active ingredients associated with the particle aggregates in decoction?" The present study takes the Coptis chinensis decoction (CCD), the particle aggregates in CCD (CCD-Ps), and the water-insoluble active ingredient of Berberine (Ber) as typical examples to investigate the effects of particle aggregates in herbal medicine decoction on the active ingredient absorption in the intestine and the underlying mechanisms. The CCD-Ps are mainly composed of polysaccharide, with commonly features of a hundred-nanometers size and negatively charged. A series of Coptis chinensis polysaccharide (CCP) composed particle aggregates (CCP-Ps) were self-assembled to mimic the CCD-Ps. In situ single-pass intestinal perfusion experiments exhibited that, both the CCD-Ps and CCP-Ps exhibited charge-dependent promotion on Ber absorption in the intestine, through regulating the tight junctions (TJs) between intestinal epithelia cells. Caco-2 cell monolayer model experiments revealed that the particle aggregates not only promoted paracellular Ber transport through TJs regulation but also improved the transcellular Ber transport through active transport and endocytosis. The present study provides a novel viewpoint to explain the scientific implications of herbal medicine decoction, in which the particles aggregated in decoction are not useless but rather act as an effective and important enhancer for adsorption of the active ingredients through multiple mechanisms.

Ethnomedicinal uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Aspects of the Genus Berberis Linn: A Comprehensive Review

BACKGROUND

Genus Berberis (family Berberidaceae), which contains about 650 species and 17 genera worldwide, has been used in folklore and various traditional medicine systems. Berberis Linn. is the most established group among genera with around 450-500 species across the world. This comprehensive review will not only help researchers for further evaluation but also provide substantial information for future exploitation of species to develop novel herbal formulations.

OBJECTIVE

The present review is focussed to summarize and collect the updated review of information of Berberis species reported to date regarding their ethnomedicinal information, chemical constituents, traditional/folklore use, and reported pharmacological activities on more than 40 species of Berberis.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive survey of the literature reveals that various species of the genus possess various phytoconstituents mainly alkaloids, flavonoid based compounds isolated from different parts of a plant with a wide range of pharmacological activities. So far, many pharmacological activities like anti-cancer, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory both in vitro and in vivo and clinical study of different extracts/isolated compounds of different species of Berberis have been reported, proving their importance as a medicinal plant and claiming their traditional use.

Biologically active isoquinoline alkaloids covering 2014-2018

Isoquinoline alkaloids, an important class of N-based heterocyclic compounds, have attracted considerable attention from researchers worldwide since the early 19th century. Over the past 200 years, many compounds from this class were isolated, and most of them and their analogs possess various bioactivities. In this review, we survey the updated literature on bioactive alkaloids and highlight research achievements of this alkaloid class during the period of 2014-2018. We reviewed over 400 molecules with a broad range of bioactivities, including antitumor, antidiabetic and its complications, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and other activities. This review should provide new indications or directions for the discovery of new and better drugs from the original naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloids.

In Vitro Anticancer Potential of Berberis lycium Royle Extracts against Human Hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) Cells

Human liver cancer has emerged as a serious health concern in the world, associated with poorly available therapies. The Berberis genus contains vital medicinal plants with miraculous healing properties and a wide range of bioactivities. In this study, different crude extracts of B. lycium Royle were prepared and screened against Human Hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. The water/ethanolic extract of B. lycium Royle (BLE) exhibited significant antiproliferative activity against the HepG2 cancer cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 47 μg/mL. The extract decreased the clonogenic potential of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. It induced apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells that were confirmed by cytometric analysis and microscopic examination of cellular morphology through DAPI-stained cells. Biochemical evidence of apoptosis came from elevating the intracellular ROS level that was accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The mechanism of apoptosis was further confirmed by gene expression analysis using RT-qPCR that revealed the decline in Bcl-2 independent of p53 mRNA and a rise in CDK1 while downregulating CDK5, CDK9, and CDK10 mRNA levels at 48 h of BLE treatment. The most active fraction was subjected to HPLC which indicated the presence of berberine (48 μg/mL) and benzoic acid (15.8 μg/mL) as major compounds in BLE and a trace amount of luteolin, rutin, and gallic acid. Our study highlighted the importance of the most active BLE extract as an excellent source of nutraceuticals against Human Hepatocarcinoma that can serve as an herbal natural cure against liver cancer.

Metabolite profiling of arginase inhibitor activity guided fraction of Ficus religiosa leaves by LC-HRMS

Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of deaths worldwide. Increased arginase activity is associated with cardiovascular disease. The literature shows that plants are a good source of arginase inhibitors. Hence in the present work arginase inhibitor activity is studied from Ficus religiosa leaves. A fine powder of F. religiosa leaves was serially extracted in various solvents, viz. hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. Out of those four solvent extracts, the one showing highest arginase inhibitor activity was loaded onto the column for further fractionation. Among the collected fractions, the one showing the highest activity was subjected to identification of metabolites by using LC-HRMS. Total compounds including acipimox, edoxudine, levulinic acid, hydroxyhydroquinone, ramiprilglucuronide, berberine, antimycin A, swietenine and some short peptides were identified from the fraction showing the highest arginase inhibitory activity. Identification of these metabolites from F. religiosa and their biological importance may help to promote its use as medicinal plant. Further purification and characterization of therapeutically novel molecules will be the subject of future work.

Fibrauretine reduces ischemia/reperfusion injury via RISK/eNOS activation

Current studies have shown that fibrauretine can be used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases; however, the protective mechanism of fibrauretine in cardiovascular diseases is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of fibrauretine in acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. We investigated the effects of glucocorticoid receptor/oestrogen receptor (GR/ER)-mediated Akt phosphorylation, extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2) activation and nitric oxide (NO) on the treatment of acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by fibrauretine. Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury models were established in rats and gene-knockout mice, and the infarct size was measured. We detected the expression and phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), glucocorticoid receptor, oestrogen receptor, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CK-MB), stress-activated protein kinase (JNK), P38 protein kinase (P38 MAPK) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with or without the inhibitors to investigate the protective effect of fibrauretine on the heart. The results showed that fibrauretine can significantly reduce the myocardial infarction area in myocardial I/R injury, inhibit the activities of LDH and CK-MB in the serum, and increase the content of NO. However, the effects of fibrauretine on the reduction of the myocardial infarction area were eliminated by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, Akt inhibitor IV, GR inhibitor RU468, ER inhibitor tamoxifen, eNOS inhibitor L-NAME and ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126. Moreover, in the case of WT mice and gene-knockout eNOS and iNOS mice, fibrauretine was able to significantly reduce the myocardial infarction area in iNOS^-/- and wild type mice. However, there was no significant protective effect of fibrauretine in eNOS^-/- mice. It is suggested that eNOS plays an important role in the protective effect of fibrauretine on the heart. Therefore, the results of this study show that the protective effect of fibrauretine on myocardial I/R injury is closely associated with eNOS expression, GR/ER-induced Akt phosphorylation and ERK1/2 activation.

The effect of barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) on glycemic indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) supplementation on glycemic indices in adults.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ISI Web of Science from inception up to January 2020, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of barberry supplementation on glycemic markers including fasting blood sugar (FBS) concentrations, insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) percentage. The results of this meta-analysis were reported, based on the random effects model.

RESULTS

In total, 7 studies, comprising 452 participants, were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis revealed that barberry significantly reduces insulin levels (Hedges's: -0.67; 95% CI: -1.31 to -0.03, P = 0.04, I² = 73.3%). However, no considerable changes was observed for FBS levels (WMD: -8.06 mg/dL; 95% CI: -20.46 to 4.33, P = 0.23, I² = 96.1%), HbA1c percentage (WMD: -0.83 %; 95% CI: -2.33 to 0.67, P = 0.27, I² = 88.3%), and HOMA-IR index (WMD: -0.55; 95% CI: -1.60 to 0.50, P = 0.30, I² = 99.4%).

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that although barberry supplementation significantly improves insulin levels; however, other glycemic indices might not be affected. However, more high-quality RCTs with longer duration are needed to further clarify the effects of barberry on blood glucose control, especially among patients with diabetes.

Effect of Temperature on 1H NMR Spectra, Antitrypanosomal Activity, Conformational Analysis, and Molecular Docking of Curine Derivatives from Berberis brevissima

The ethanolic root extract of Berberis brevissima afforded a new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, 13-nitrochondrofoline (2), and two known bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, chondrofoline (1) and curine (4). The acetylation of chondrofoline (1) gave O-acetylchondrofoline (3). The dimeric structures of 1 and 2 were studied through variable-temperature ¹H NMR spectroscopy at 25, 40, 60, and 80 °C and conformational analysis, using density functional theory employing the M06-2X functional and the 6-31G* basis set. The in vitro antitrypanosomal activity of compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 against Trypanosoma brucei showed significant potential with MIC values of 2.6, 2.2, 2.3, and 3.8 μM, respectively. Molecular docking evaluation of alkaloids 1, 2, 3, and 4 against known T. brucei protein targets revealed T. brucei phosphodiesterase B1 to be the preferred target. The docking energies of the alkaloids with Tb6PGL (PDB 3EB9) ranged from -88.8 to -106.0 kJ/mol and was comparable to the cocrystallized ligand, citrate (E_dock = -78.3 kJ/mol). It seems reasonable that the curine alkaloids may compete with the natural substrates for these protein targets and serve as leads in designing and developing more potent and selective drugs against T. brucei.

Protective Effects of Berberis vulgaris on Diazinon-Induced Brain Damage in Young Male Mice

Diazinon is an imminent and hazardous chemical organophosphate multiplex that is generally used as a pesticide but is toxic for many species particularly vertebrates. Berberry (Berberis vulgaris L., family Berberidaceae) is a plant that flourishes in Europe and Asia that has been largely investigated for its therapeutic effects. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effects of B. vulgaris on diazinon-induced brain damage in young male mice. Twenty-one young male albino mice weighing 18±2 g were divided in three equal groups of seven mice, and treated orally with either olive oil (control), diazinon 50 mg/kg+B. vulgaris extract 200 mg/kg, or diazinon 50 mg/kg. After three weeks, cerebrum and cerebellum samples were collected for antioxidant assays. The results indicated that diazinon increased oxidative stress in the brain of mice. The glutathione content and proceedings of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, were significantly reduced in both the cerebellum and cerebrum of diazinon-treated mice, compared with the control group. In addition, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was inhibited by exposure to this pesticide. Administration of 200 mg/kg B. vulgaris extract with diazinon significantly decreased oxidative stress indices in all experiments. The results indicated that B. vulgaris extract has protective effects against lipid peroxidation of the cerebellum and cerebrum, and in regenerating AChE activity in the brain induced by diazinon.

Phytochemical Screening and Antiprotozoal Effects of the Methanolic Berberis vulgaris and Acetonic Rhus coriaria Extracts

Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris) and Rhus coriaria (R. coriaria) have been documented to have various pharmacologic activities. The current study assessed the in vitro as well as in vivo inhibitory efficacy of a methanolic extract of B. vulgaris (MEBV) and an acetone extract of R. coriaria (AERC) on six species of piroplasm parasites. The drug-exposure viability assay was tested on three different cell lines, namely mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3), Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells. Qualitative phytochemical estimation revealed that both extracts containing alkaloid, tannin, saponins and terpenoids and significant amounts of flavonoids and polyphenols. The GC-MS analysis of MEBV and AERC revealed the existence of 27 and 20 phytochemical compounds, respectively. MEBV and AERC restricted the multiplication of Babesia (B.) bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and Theileria (T.) equi at the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.84 ± 0.2, 0.81 ± 0.3, 4.1 ± 0.9, 0.35 ± 0.1 and 0.68 ± 0.1 µg/mL and 85.7 ± 3.1, 60 ± 8.5, 90 ± 3.7, 85.7 ± 2.1 and 78 ± 2.1 µg/mL, respectively. In the cytotoxicity assay, MEBV and AERC inhibited MDBK, NIH/3T3 and HFF cells with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of 695.7 ± 24.9, 931 ± 44.9, ˃1500 µg/mL and 737.7 ± 17.4, ˃1500 and ˃1500 µg/mL, respectively. The experiments in mice showed that MEBV and AERC prohibited B. microti multiplication at 150 mg/kg by 66.7% and 70%, respectively. These results indicate the prospects of these extracts as drug candidates for piroplasmosis treatment following additional studies in some clinical cases.

Light microscopy of Pakistani Berberis leaf cuticles and its taxonomic implications

Taxonomy of the genus Berberis is quite complex, due to overlapping morphological characters, making it very difficult to differentiate the species within the genus. In order to resolve this taxonomic complexity, the foliar anatomy of 10 Berberis L. species was carried out, for the first time from Pakistan, using light microscopy (LM). Significant variation in terms of epidermal cells shape, size, cell wall pattern, and stomata type was observed. B. baluchistanica has the largest epidermal cells, Adaxial: length = 45-(53.9 ± 3.6)-62.5 μm; and width = 22.5-(26.3 ± 1.3)-30 μm; Abaxial: length = 37.5-(43.25 ± 2.5)-50 μm; and width = 20-(22.6 ± 0.8)-25. The highest number of stomata was observed in B. glaucocarpa as 62 on the abaxial surface while the lowest number of stomata was recorded in B. baluchistanica as 8 on the adaxial surface. Of 10 investigated species, 6 possess anomocytic type stomata, while 2 species that is, B. aitchisonii and B. parkeriana have both anomocytic and anisocytic stomata while B. baluchistanica and B. calliobotrys have only paracytic type stomata. The highest number of cells per unit area was present on the adaxial surface of B. calliobotrys ranging from 245-(252.4)-260 followed by B. parkeriana with 209-(227.8)-250 on the abaxial surface. Stomatal index (SI) also varied considerably and was the lowest (2.6) percentage in B. baluchistanica and highest (31.9) percentage in B. kunawurensis. A taxonomic key based on micro-morphological characters is provided for species identification.

Phenolic Characterization, Antioxidant Activity, and Enzyme Inhibitory Properties of Berberis thunbergii DC. Leaves: A Valuable Source of Phenolic Acids

Berberis species are known for their use in traditional medicine. Here, we report the phenolic composition and bioactivity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Berberis thunbergii DC. leaves. The phenolic profiling and the quantitation of the main compounds were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometry detections. The most abundant compounds in both extracts were caffeoylquinic acids (chlorogenic acid, particularly, with a concentration of 90.1–101.3 mg g⁻¹ dried extract), followed by caffeoylglucaric acids and quercetin glycosides. Antioxidant and radical scavenging assays (phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, metal chelating activity), as well as enzyme inhibitory assays (acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase, glucosidase, and lipase), were carried out to evaluate the potential bioactivity of B. thunbergii. The methanolic extract presented the highest antioxidant and radical scavenging values, in agreement with its higher phenolic content. Regarding enzyme inhibitory potential, the methanolic extract was also more potent than the aqueous one. Hence, B. thunbergii leaves represent a suitable candidate for the preparation of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical products.

Berberis Plants-Drifting from Farm to Food Applications, Phytotherapy, and Phytopharmacology

The genus Berberis includes about 500 different species and commonly grown in Europe, the United States, South Asia, and some northern areas of Iran and Pakistan. Leaves and fruits can be prepared as food flavorings, juices, and teas. Phytochemical analysis of these species has reported alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds and oleanolic acid, among others. Moreover, p-cymene, limonene and ocimene as major compounds in essential oils were found by gas chromatography. Berberis is an important group of the plants having enormous potential in the food and pharmaceutical industry, since they possess several properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activities. Here we would like to review the biological properties of the phytoconstituents of this genus. We emphasize the cultivation control in order to obtain the main bioactive compounds, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in order to apply them for food preservation and for treating several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer. However, further study is needed to confirm the biological efficacy as well as, the toxicity.

Polyphenol Composition and (Bio)Activity of Berberis Species and Wild Strawberry from the Argentinean Patagonia

The Argentinean Patagonia berries Berberis microphylla, Berberis darwinii, and Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. patagonica were investigated for their polyphenol content and composition by means of liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of metabolic syndrome-associated enzymes (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase) of the fruit extracts was assessed. The most complex polyphenol profile was found in the Berberis samples, with 10 anthocyanins, 27 hydroxycinnamic acids, 3 proanthocyanidins, 2 flavan-3-ol, and 22 flavonols. Fragaria presented four anthocyanins, nine ellagitannins, two proanthocyanidin dimers, one flavan-3-ol, and five flavonols. The Berberis samples showed the best antioxidant capacity, while Fragaria displayed better activity against α-glucosidase and lipase. The phenolic content and composition of the Argentinean Patagonia berries was similar to that reported for Chilean samples but with some chemical differences between Eastern (Argentina) and Western (Chile) Patagonia. The data obtained supports the consumption of these berries as sources of beneficial polyphenols.

Polyphenol Composition and (Bio)Activity of Berberis Species and Wild Strawberry from the Argentinean Patagonia

The Argentinean Patagonia berries Berberis microphylla, Berberis darwinii, and Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. patagonica were investigated for their polyphenol content and composition by means of liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of metabolic syndrome-associated enzymes (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase) of the fruit extracts was assessed. The most complex polyphenol profile was found in the Berberis samples, with 10 anthocyanins, 27 hydroxycinnamic acids, 3 proanthocyanidins, 2 flavan-3-ol, and 22 flavonols. Fragaria presented four anthocyanins, nine ellagitannins, two proanthocyanidin dimers, one flavan-3-ol, and five flavonols. The Berberis samples showed the best antioxidant capacity, while Fragaria displayed better activity against α-glucosidase and lipase. The phenolic content and composition of the Argentinean Patagonia berries was similar to that reported for Chilean samples but with some chemical differences between Eastern (Argentina) and Western (Chile) Patagonia. The data obtained supports the consumption of these berries as sources of beneficial polyphenols.

Scientific validation of the antimicrobial and antiproliferative potential of Berberis aristata DC root bark, its phytoconstituents and their biosafety

Berberis aristata is an important part of traditional healing system from more than 2500 years. The aqueous extract of Berberis aristata root bark displayed broad spectrum activity against 13 test pathogens, ranging from 12 to 25 mm. In classical optimization, 15% concentration prepared at 40 °C for 40 min was optimal and thermostable. Statistical optimization enhanced the activity by 1.13–1.30-folds. Ethyl acetate was the best organic solvent to elute out the potential compound responsible for antimicrobial activity. Diterpenes were the most abundant phytoconstituent (15.3%) and showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity ranging from 16.66 to 42.66 mm. Ethyl acetate extract displayed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (0.05–1 mg/mL), followed by diterpenes (0.05–5 mg/mL) and flavonoids (0.05–10 mg/mL). The test extracts were microbicidal in nature and showed a prolonged post antibiotic effect ranging from 2 to 8 h. They were found to be biosafe as per Ames and MTT assay. The in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of diterpenes against L20B, RD and Hep 2 cell lines revealed its IC₅₀ ranging from 245 to 473 µg/mL. Acute oral toxicity of diterpenes on Swiss albino mice did not show any changes in behavioral pattern, body weight, biochemical parameters as well as organs’ architecture. The study thus indicates B. aristata could be a potential candidate for development of potent drug owing to its antimicrobial potential and biosafe profile.

Investigating functional properties of barberry species: an overview

The introduction of new crops and the development of the use of wild plants creates the potential to diversify global food production and better enable local adaptation to the diverse and changing environments that humans inhabit. Barberry is widely distributed worldwide and is recognized as a valuable plant. In this review, we summarize the functional compounds and nutraceutical features of barberry species. Barberry plants have fruits, flowers, leaves, stems and roots. All of these parts contain very important compounds, such as anthocyanins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins and minerals, etc., which have been used for many years in traditional medicine. These compounds have a strong impact on human health and can be used as a painkiller, as well as for the relief of fever, diarrhea and vomiting. They are also useful for curing liver and vascular problems and preventing many diseases. One of the most important functional compounds in the barberry plant is berberine, which exists in its different parts. Studies have shown that berberine in barberry reduces cholesterol and blood glucose. It can help to prevent Alzheimer's and neoplastic diseases. Furthermore, it has antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant properties. According to the investigations, barberry plant derivations can be considered as useful additives and functional compounds in various industries, especially in the food industry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Leveraging phytochemicals: the plant phylogeny predicts sources of novel antibacterial compounds

AIM

The goal of this study was to use phylogenetic evidence to determine plant families with high representation of antibacterial activity and identify potential sources to focus on for antibacterial drug discovery.

MATERIALS & METHODS

We reconstructed the molecular phylogeny of plant taxa with antibacterial activity and mapped antibacterial mechanisms of action on the phylogeny.

RESULTS

The phylogeny highlighted seven plant families (Combretaceae, Cupressaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Zingiberaceae) with disproportionately represented antibacterial activity. Phytochemicals produced were primarily involved in the disruption of the bacterial cell wall/membrane and inhibition of quorum sensing/biofilm production.

CONCLUSION

The study provides phylogenetic evidence of seven plant families that should be examined as promising leads for novel antibacterial development.

Copper Oxide Nanomaterials Derived from Zanthoxylum armatum DC. and Berberis lycium Royle Plant Species: Characterization, Assessment of Free Radical Scavenging and Antibacterial Activity

Copper oxide nanomaterials were synthesized by a facile sustainable biological method using two plant species (Zanthoxylum armatum DC. and Berberis lycium Royle). The formation of materials was confirmed by FT-IR, ATR, UV-visible, XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, TGA and PL. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion method to ascertain the efficacy of plant species extract and extract derived copper oxide nanomaterials against six Gram-positive bacteria namely Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus pyogenes, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium xerosis, Bacillus cereus and four Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris against the standard drug, Ciprofloxacin for Gram-positive and Gentamicin for Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. In both cases, copper oxide nanomaterials were found to be sensitive in all the bacterial species. Sensitivity of copper oxide nanomaterials shows an be higher as compared to plant species extract against different bacteria. Scavenging activity of plant extracts along with nanomaterials have been accessed using previously reported protocols employing ascorbic acid as standard. Scavenging activity of copper oxide nanomaterials shows an increase with increase in concentration. The biological activity (bactericidal and scavenging efficiency) of plant derived copper oxide nanomaterials revealed that these materials can be used as potent antimicrobial agent and DPPH scavengers in industrial as well as pharmacological fields.