Chakraborty Srabasti, Ghosh Biswa Nath
Department of Chemistry, Behala College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Silchar, Assam, India.
Mol Biol Rep. 2025 Jul 16;52(1):719. doi: 10.1007/s11033-025-10815-6.
Berberine, an isoquinoline derived alkaloid and phytochemical, isolated from barberry and other trees has been known for its medicinal value in Chinese and Indian folk medicine since ages. This short review sheds light on the present-day information on the activity of berberine in ameliorating breast cancer, by evaluation of the mechanisms involved at the cellular and molecular level. Its ability to interact with key receptors and effector proteins as well its role in modulating signalling pathways involving PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-ƙB, METTL3/FGF7 regulation, NLRP3 inflammasome and estrogen receptors have been discussed. Its efficacy in inducing apoptosis, arresting cell cycle, halting angiogenesis, cell proliferation and metastasis and reducing inflammation have been explored according to most recent understandings. The need for this review arises from the increasing interest in natural compounds with potential therapeutic applications, especially in breast cancer treatment which remains one of the most prevalent and challenging diseases globally, necessitating exploration of alternative and complementary treatment strategies. This review not only compiles the majority of the reported findings to date on the molecular mechanisms underlying berberine's anti-breast cancer effects but also explores its synergistic potential with various conventional anti-breast cancer drugs. Additionally, it discusses the limitations that restrict berberine's therapeutic application and examines strategies employed to enhance its efficacy. The study is aimed at bridging traditional medicinal knowledge with modern scientific advancements, fostering a deeper understanding of berberine's promise in breast cancer therapy.
黄连素是一种异喹啉衍生生物碱和植物化学物质，从伏牛花和其他树木中分离出来，自古以来就在中国和印度民间医学中因其药用价值而闻名。这篇简短的综述通过评估细胞和分子水平上涉及的机制，揭示了黄连素在改善乳腺癌方面的当前活性信息。文中讨论了它与关键受体和效应蛋白相互作用的能力，以及它在调节涉及PI3K/AKT/mTOR、MAPK/ERK、NF-ƙB、METTL3/FGF7调节、NLRP3炎性小体和雌激素受体的信号通路中的作用。根据最新的认识，探讨了其在诱导细胞凋亡、阻滞细胞周期、抑制血管生成、细胞增殖和转移以及减轻炎症方面的功效。对这篇综述的需求源于对具有潜在治疗应用的天然化合物的兴趣日益增加，特别是在乳腺癌治疗方面，乳腺癌仍然是全球最普遍和最具挑战性的疾病之一，因此有必要探索替代和补充治疗策略。这篇综述不仅汇编了迄今为止关于黄连素抗乳腺癌作用的分子机制的大多数报道结果，还探讨了其与各种传统抗乳腺癌药物的协同潜力。此外，它讨论了限制黄连素治疗应用的局限性，并研究了提高其疗效所采用的策略。这项研究旨在将传统医学知识与现代科学进步联系起来，促进对黄连素在乳腺癌治疗中前景的更深入理解。
