Berbamine Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects via Inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Berbamine (BER), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Berberis amurensis (Xiao Bo An), and the underlying mechanisms.

Macrophages and neutrophils were treated with BER in vitro and stimulated with LPS and fMLP. The effects of BER on the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in macrophages were evaluated with quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA. The effects of BER on the activation and superoxide release of neutrophils were determined with flow cytometry and WST-1 reduction test. The inhibitory effects of BER on the activation of signaling pathways related to inflammatory response in macrophages were evaluated by western blot analysis. In addition, a mouse peritonitis model was made by peritoneal injection of thioglycollate medium and anti-inflammatory effects of BER were investigated in vivo by quantitative analysis of pro-inflammatory factor production and leukocyte exudation.

BER significantly inhibited inflammatory factor expression by LPS-stimulated macrophages and suppressed activation and superoxide release of fMLP-stimulated neutrophils. In the mouse peritonitis model, BER significantly inhibited the activation of macrophages and exudation of neutrophils. According to analysis, BER significantly suppressed phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPK (JNK and ERK1/2) signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Collectively, data from this study suggest that BER has anti-inflammatory potential, which is effected via inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, and thus holds promise for treatment of inflammatory disease.