What is berberine hydrochloride?Let us see its introduction:
Berberine hydrochloride is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from a variety of Chinese herbs, including Coptidis rhizoma, Phellodendron chinense schneid, and Phellodendron amurense, and has diverse pharmacological actions. It has antidiabetic and antilipid peroxidation activity, as well as an anti-atherosclerotic action, and also has neuroprotective properties and improves polycystic ovary syndrome.Berberine hydrochloride is widely used as an antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory drug, and has been used as a gastrointestinal remedy for thousands of years in China.
What can berberine hydrochloride be used?
Nowadays, the antiproliferative activity and sensitivity enhancement of berberine hydrochloride in various cancer cell lines have led to further research interest in this compound. Its antineoplastic properties include induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, along with inhibition of cell migration and invasion via regulation of multiple pathways.The potential targets of berberine hydrochloride include reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial function, DNA topoisomerase inhibition, DNA or RNA binding, the estrogen receptor, matrix metalloproteinase regulation, p53 activation, and NF-kappa B signal activation. However, it has poor water solubility caused by a quarternary amine, resulting in a low effective concentration and limited absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, which seriously limits its application and development as a pharmaceutical preparation. Furthermore, it has a risk of adverse reactions associated with intramuscular and intravenous administration, such as anaphylactic shock and drug rash, so a novel drug delivery system to improve the solubility and bioavailability of berberine hydrochloride has become a matter of urgency.
During the rapid development of nanotechnology, increasing attention has been paid to nanoparticulate drug delivery systems.Modern nanoparticulate dosage forms including polymeric nanoparticles, nanocapsules, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions, all of which can improve drug solubility. In general, nanoparticulate drug delivery enhances solubility and bioavailability, improving pharmacological activity and tissue macrophage distribution, while preventing physical and chemical degradation. Therefore, we combined the good anticancer efficacy of berberine hydrochloride with a novel nanoparticulate drug delivery system to obtain a promising anticancer agent.
This review discusses anticancer mechanisms, with particular reference to regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and describes a novel drug delivery system for berberine hydrochloride, aiming to provide new insights into Chinese medicine preparations with anticancer activity.
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