Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuokuang Road, Taichung 40227, Taiwan, ROC.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Dec;11(12):1984-90. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2011.08.008. Epub 2011 Aug 23.
Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid. This study investigated the effects of berberine on cytokine gene expression in mouse primary splenocytes in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using 4 different experimental models in vitro. The relative expression of the following cytokine genes was determined using a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay: pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10, T-helper type 1 (Th1) (IL-2), and Th2 (IL-4) cytokines. The results showed that berberine down-regulated ratios of the relative Th1 (IL-2)/Th2 (IL-4) cytokines expression fold in mouse primary splenocytes in the absence or presence of LPS in a preventive manner. This study suggests that berberine may possess anti-inflammatory potential by shifting the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th2 polarization.
小檗碱是一种天然异喹啉生物碱。本研究采用 4 种不同的体外实验模型，研究了小檗碱在脂多糖（LPS）存在或不存在的情况下对小鼠原代脾细胞细胞因子基因表达的影响。采用实时定量聚合酶链反应检测以下细胞因子基因的相对表达：促炎肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α、抗炎白细胞介素（IL）-10、T 辅助 1（Th1）（IL-2）和 Th2（IL-4）细胞因子。结果表明，小檗碱以预防的方式下调了 LPS 存在或不存在时小鼠原代脾细胞中相对 Th1（IL-2）/Th2（IL-4）细胞因子表达比的比值。本研究表明，小檗碱可能通过将 Th1/Th2 平衡向 Th2 极化来发挥抗炎作用。
