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Berberidis Radix (Sankezhen), a typical multi-origin Chinese medicinal material, originates from the dried roots of plants of the Berberis genus and is used to treat various ailments. These species have similar morphologies, potentially leading to misidentifications that can impact medicine efficacy. Therefore, developing suitable molecular markers to identify medicinal species is imperative. Furthermore, discrepancies exist in the taxonomy of the Berberis genus. In the present study, we de novo assembled the chloroplast genomes of six Berberis species (Berberis woomungensis C. Y. Wu, Berberis pruinosa Franch., Berberis thunbergii DC., Berberis chinensis Poir., Berberis wilsoniae Hemsl., and Berberis sp.) that commonly constitute Berberidis Radix and compared them with previously reported genomes. Our comparative analysis revealed similarities in genome structure, relative synonymous codon usage, amino acid frequency, repeats, and substitutions. Higher synonymous substitutions, indicative of predominant purifying selection on protein-coding genes, were observed compared to non-synonymous substitutions. However, positive selection was identified in six genes across 29 Berberis species-accD, matK, ndhD, rbcL, ycf1, and ycf2-highlighting their potential roles in adaptive responses to specific environmental conditions within the genus. Inverted repeats expansion and contraction affected the rate of mutations and were associated with the phylogenetic classification of Berberis. Our phylogenetic analysis supported the division of the Berberis complex into four genera, which corroborates previous studies involving extensive sampling. We identified the ndhD-ccsA region as the most polymorphic region and applied this region to Chinese patent medicines containing Berberidis Radix through metabarcoding. The metabarcoding analysis confirmed that five Berberis species commonly constitute Berberidis Radix in Chinese patent medicines. In conclusion, this study provides insight into the molecular evolution of the chloroplast genome and the phylogeny of the Berberis genus. In addition, metabarcoding provides insight into the species composition of Berberidis Radix in Chinese patent medicines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study determined production performance, nutrient intake, digestibility, and carcass traits from ostrich chicks fed with barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves (BVL) as a replacement for alfalfa hay (AH). For 150 days, 30 male ostrich (Struthio camelus) (9.10 ± 0.89 kg live weight, mean ± SD) were randomly grouped into five dietary BVL inclusion levels to replace AH: a control diet based on 100% AH (CTRL), and four groups with BVL as a substitute for AH at varying levels including 25% (BVL25), 50% (BVL50), 75% (BVL75), and 100% (BVL100). The average daily feed intakes (ADFI) were recorded and birds were weighed monthly. The nutrient intake and digestibility were measured for the following final 5 days of the trial. The ADFI was higher (p = 0.025) for BVL100 and BVL75 than for CTRL. Ostriches fed on BVL50 had the highest average daily gain (ADG, p = 0.025) and the lowest feed conversation ratio (FCR, p = 0.0001). Return per kg BW gain was also enhanced (p = 0.018) with BVL50 feeding. Dietary BVL levels did not affect the digestibility of OM (p = 0.257), CP (p = 0.260), EE (p = 0.610), CF (p = 0.427), and Ash (p = 0.461). Also, there were no changes in AME (p = 0.180) or AMEn (p = 0.670). The hot carcass weight (HCW, p = 0.331) and dressing BW (p = 0.237) were not affected. Overall, the results suggest that BVL can replace AH in ostrich diets without deleterious impact on performance, however, its partial substitution (for 50% AH of diet) has been associated with improved ADG, FCR, and reduced feeding costs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

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., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial lifelong condition. Berberis vulgaris (BV) and Berberis integerrima (BI) regulate glucose levels with minimal adverse effects. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate the effect of BV and BI on glycemic indices, weight, and body mass index (BMI) against placebo. Four electronic databases were searched till September 24, 2023. Inclusion criteria for studies were: (a) T2DM patients; (b) berberis (vulgaris/integerrima) therapy as intervention; (c) control group of placebo or metformin; (d) outcomes including fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c%), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting serum insulin (FSI), 2-h postprandial glucose (2hPPG), fructosamine, weight, and BMI; (e) randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data was pooled using a random-effects analysis model on Review Manager. The inverse variance statistical method was applied keeping weighted mean difference (WMD) as the effect measure. The Cochrane risk of bias tool evaluated the risk of bias. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Nine RCTs comprising 547 patients were included. Significant reduction was noted with berberis therapy in FBG (WMD: -14.52; 95% CI = -22.97, -6.07; P = 0.0008); HbA1c % (WMD: -0.30; 95% CI = -0.53, -0.07; P = 0.01); HOMA-IR (WMD: -0.97; 95% CI = -1.56, 0.37; P = 0.001). No significant differences were noted between the two groups in 2hPPG (WMD: 6.52; 95% CI = -21.57, 34.61; P = 0.65); FSI (WMD: -0.79; 95% CI = -1.80, 0.22, P = 0.13); Fructosamine (WMD: -12.57; 95% CI = -40.74, 15.60; P = 0.38); Weight (WMD: -1.89; 95% CI = -4.55, 0.76; P = 0.16) and BMI (WMD: -0.12; 95% CI = -0.90, 0.65; P = 0.76). The data showed significant reduction in FBG and improved insulin levels but limited effects were observed in other glycemic indexes. More extensive RCTs are required globally to achieve a holistic comprehension of the connection between berberis and T2DM., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects 50-70% of patients with dementia, making it the leading cause of dementia. The condition is classified as a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable disease. The disease is affecting more and more people around the world. AD has a multifactorial nature, spreading from beta-amyloid deposition to inflammation in patients' brains. Patients experience cognitive impairment and functional decline. Although it is a disease that occurs mainly in the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people between the ages of 30 and 40. It not only affects the patient themself but also reduces the quality of life of their closest caregivers. According to the WHO, the treatment of AD consumes USD 1.3 trillion globally, but it is only symptomatic, as there are no drugs to prevent the onset of AD or treat the cause of its onset. Due to the numerous side effects of therapy and the lack of proactive drugs that act on the pathomechanism of AD, alternative therapies are being sought. One possible option that has many studies confirming its effect is phytotherapy. Many herbs have pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or neuroprotective effects, making them the future of cognitive disorders and AD treatment. This review focuses on some of the most promising herbs that have potentially potent properties and effects in AD therapy. These include Curcuma longa , Panax ginseng , Berberis and Crocus sativus . These herbs may perhaps be key in the future to make functioning and life easier for patients struggling with AD.

In a nature reserve in southern Maine, we removed invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii de Candolle) along sections of forested recreational trails that ran through dense barberry infestations. Barberry thickets provide questing substrate and a protective microclimate for blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say), and trail users could brush up against encroaching barberry and acquire ticks. Trailside barberry removal will reduce or eliminate encroaching tick questing substrate and could reduce trailside questing tick abundance by creating a microclimate more hostile to ticks. The same-day cut-and-spray treatment comprised mechanical cutting of barberry clumps (individual plants with numerous ramets) followed immediately by targeted herbicide application to the resulting root crowns. The treatment created trail shoulders to a lateral width of 1-2 m on both sides of 100-m trail sections, with initial treatment in the fall of 2013 and one retreatment in the summer of 2014. Our aim was to remove 90% of barberry clumps to achieve a 50% or better reduction in questing tick abundance on trail shoulders. However, by the fall of 2015, there were only 41% fewer barberry clumps on treated vs. untreated trail sections and there was no reduction in either adults or nymphs. We concluded that our barberry treatment protocol was not sufficiently aggressive since the resulting ecotone habitat on trail shoulders proved suitable for questing I. scapularis. In principle, cutting back barberry along trails should reduce trail user contact with questing deer ticks, but we were unable to demonstrate a reduction in trailside tick abundance., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Diabetes is a life-threatening disease that affects different parts of the body including the liver, kidney, and pancreas. The core root of diabetes is mainly linked to oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Berberis lyceum Royle (BLR) is the source of natural products. It comprises numerous bioactive compounds having antioxidant activities. In the current investigation, silver nanoparticles from BLR root extract were synthesized, characterized, and assessed for antidiabetic potential. UV spectrophotometry, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were applied for the characterization of NPs. It was evident from the morphological studies that the synthesized NPs were spherical and the average size was 11.02 nm. Results revealed that BLR-AgNPs showed higher radical scavenging activity as compared to BLR extract. Moreover, BLR-AgNPs displayed superior in vivo and in vitro antidiabetic activity in comparison to BLR extract. Glucose level (116.5 ± 5.1 mg/dL), liver function test (ALAT: 54.038 ± 6.2 IU/L; ASAT: 104.42 ± 13.9 IU/L; ALP: 192.6 ± 2.4 IU/L; bilirubin: 1.434 ± 0.14 mg/dL; total protein: 5.14 ± 0.24 mg/dL), renal function test (urea: 39.6 ± 0.63 mg/dL; uric acid: 21.4 ± 0.94 mg/dL; creatinine: 0.798 ± 0.03 mg/dL; albumin: 4.14 ± 0.2 mg/dL), lipid profile level (cholesterol: 101.62 ± 3 mg/dL; triglyceride: 110.42 ± 7 mg/dL; HDL-C: 29.7 ± 3 mg/dL; LDL-C: 47.056 ± 1 mg/dL; VLDL-C: 22.0 ± 1.3 mg/dL) and hematology (WBCs: 3.82 ± 0.24 10 3 /μL; RBCs: 4.78 ± 0.42 10 6 /μL; Hb: 12.6 ± 1.0 g/dL; Hematocrit: 39.4 ± 3.7%; MCV: 65.8 ± 3 fL; platelets: 312 ± 22.4; neutrophils: 34.8 ± 1.87; eosinophils: 3.08 ± 0.43; monocytes: 3.08 ± 0.28; lymphocytes: 75.6 ± 3.77) confirmed the significant antidiabetic potential of BLR-AgNPs. Histopathological examination authenticated that BLR-AgNPs caused a significant revival in the morphology of the liver, kidney, and pancreas. Hence, findings of the study suggested the BLR-AgNPs as a potent antidiabetic agent and could be an appropriate nanomedicine to prevent diabetes in future. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Berberis lyceum extract as a reducing, capping, and stabilization agent for the BLR-AgNPs synthesis Evaluation of α-amylase inhibition, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibition potential Thorough characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and UV-VIS spectrophotometer, which is 1 st of its kind In-vivo antidiabetic activity evaluation through multiple biomarkers., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Worldwide the aging population continues to increase, so the concept of healthy longevity medicine has become increasingly significant in modern society. Berberis vulgaris L. fruits serve as a functional food supplement with a high concentration of bioactive compounds, which offer numerous health-promoting benefits. The goal of this study was to investigate the geroprotective effect of Berberis vulgaris L. extract. Here we show that extract of Berberis vulgaris L. can, depending on concentrate, increases lifespan up to 6%, promote healthspan (stress resistance up to 35%, locomotor activity up to 25%, integrity of the intestinal barrier up to 12%, metabolic rate up to 5%) of Drosophila melanogaster (in vitro) and exhibits antioxidant (using red blood cell tests) and antiglycation activity (using glycation of bovine serum albumin) (in vitro). In addition to this, the extract does not exhibit cytotoxic properties in vitro, unlike the well-known polyphenolic compound quercetin. qRT-PCR has revealed the involvement of metabolic, heat shock response and lipid metabolism genes in the observed effects., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris or barberry) is a medicinal plant that has been used for various purposes in traditional medicine. Berberine is one of the main alkaloids isolated from B. vulgaris and other plants. Both B. vulgaris and berberine have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects in different experimental models and clinical trials. This review aims to summarize the current evidence on the mechanisms and applications of B. vulgaris and berberine in modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune responses. The literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases until August 2023. The results indicated that B. vulgaris and berberine could inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin-17 (IL-17), and enhance the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), in various cell types and tissues. B. vulgaris and berberine can also scavenge free radicals, increase antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and reduce lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. B. vulgaris and berberine have been reported to exert beneficial effects in several inflammatory, oxidative, and immune-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, and infections. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the optimal doses, safety profiles, and potential interactions of B. vulgaris and berberine with other drugs or natural compounds., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Berberis species have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Western herbal medicine. The aim of this study was the quantification of the main isoquinoline alkaloids in extracts obtained from various Berberis species by HPLC, in vitro and in silico determination of anti-cholinesterase activity, and in vitro and in vivo investigations of the cytotoxic activity of the investigated plant extracts and alkaloid standards. In particular, Berberis species whose activity had not been previously investigated were selected for the study. In the most investigated Berberis extracts, a high content of berberine and palmatine was determined. Alkaloid standards and most of the investigated plant extracts exhibit significant anti-cholinesterase activity. Molecular docking results confirmed that both alkaloids are more favourable for forming complexes with acetylcholinesterase compared to butyrylcholinesterase. The kinetic results obtained by HPLC-DAD indicated that berberine noncompetitively inhibited acetylcholinesterase, while butyrylcholinesterase was inhibited in a mixed mode. In turn, palmatine exhibited a mixed inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. The cytotoxic activity of berberine and palmatine standards and plant extracts were investigated against the human melanoma cell line (A375). The highest cytotoxicity was determined for extract obtained from Berberis pruinosa cortex. The cytotoxic properties of the extract were also determined in the in vivo investigations using the Danio rerio larvae xenograft model. The obtained results confirmed a significant effect of the Berberis pruinosa cortex extract on the number of cancer cells in a living organism. Our results showed that extracts obtained from Berberis species, especially the Berberis pruinosa cortex extract, can be recommended for further in vivo experiments in order to confirm the possibility of their application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and human melanoma.

The comeback of wheat stem rust in Europe, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici , and the prevalence of the alternate (sexual) host in local areas have recently regained attention as a potential threat to European wheat production. The aim of this study was to investigate a potential epidemiological link between the aecia found on an indigenous barberry species and stem rust infections on nearby cereals and grasses. Aecial infections collected from Berberis vulgaris subsp. seroi were inoculated on a panel of susceptible genotypes of major cereal crop species. In total, 67 stem rust progeny isolates were recovered from wheat (51), barley (7), and rye (9), but none from oat, indicating the potential of barberry derived isolates to infect multiple cereals. Molecular genotyping of the progeny isolates and 20 cereal and grass stem rust samples collected at the same locations and year, revealed a clear genetic relatedness between the progeny isolated from barberry and the stem rust infections found on nearby cereal and grass hosts. Analysis of Molecular Variance indicated that variation between the stem rust populations accounted for only 1%. A Principal Components Analysis using the 62 detected multilocus genotypes also demonstrated a low degree of genetic variation among isolates belonging to the two stem rust populations. Lastly, pairwise comparisons based on fixation index (Fst), Nei's genetic distances and number of effective migrants (Nm) revealed low genetic differentiation and high genetic exchange between the two populations. Our results demonstrated a direct epidemiological link and functionality of an indigenous barberry species as the sexual host of P . graminis in Spain, a factor that should be considered when designing future strategies to prevent stem rust in Europe and beyond., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Rodriguez-Algaba, Villegas, Cantero-Martínez, Patpour, Berlin, Hovmøller, Jin and Justesen.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mahonia bealei (Fortune) Carrière (M. bealei) is a traditional medicine widely used by the Hmong community in Guizhou. It possesses diverse biological activities and shows promise in cancer treatment; however, contemporary pharmacological research in this area is lacking., Aims of the Study: This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of M. bealei on alcoholic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Materials and Methods: We initially employed the LC-MS/MS method to identify the compounds present in M. bealei serum. Subsequently, its potential targets were predicted using public databases. Bioinformatics and network pharmacology approaches, such as univariate Cox regression and random forest (RF) algorithms, were utilized to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the prognosis of alcoholic HCC. Survival curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted using alcoholic HCC-related data from TCGA and GEO to determine the diagnostic value of the identified DEGs. Molecular docking using the CDOCKER approach based on CHARMm was performed to validate the affinity between the predictive compounds and targets. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of M. bealei on cell proliferation, migration, and conducted western blot assays., Results: The LC-MS/MS approach identified 17 therapeutic components and predicted 483 component-related targets, of which 63 overlapped with alcoholic HCC targets and were considered potential therapeutic targets. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant associations between the 63 overlapping targets and alcoholic HCC progression. Through various approaches in the Cytoscape 3.9.0 software, we confirmed 9 hub genes (CDK1, CXCR4, DNMT1, ESR1, KIT, PDGFRB, SERPINE1, TOP2A, and TYMS) as core targets. TOP2A and CDK1 genes were identified as advantageous for diagnosing alcoholic HCC using univariate Cox regression, RF, survival curve, and ROC analysis. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated strong binding affinity between key bioactive components cyclamic acid, perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid, perfluorosulfonic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, adenosine receptor antagonist (CGS 15943), and Prodigiosin and TOP2A and CDK1. In vitro experiments confirmed that M. bealei significantly suppressed cell proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells, while downregulating TOP2A and CDK1 expression., Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of M. bealei as a natural medicine for the treatment of alcoholic HCC. Six compounds (cyclamic acid, perfluoroalkylic carboxylic acids, perfluorosulfonic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, adenosine receptor antagonist (CGS 15943), and Prodigiosin) present in M. bealei serum may exhibit therapeutic effects against alcoholic HCC by downregulating CDK1 and TOP2A expression levels in vitro., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Designing biocompatible polymers using plant derivatives can be extremely useful in tissue engineering, nanomedicine, and many other fields of medicine. In this study, it was first looked into how chitosan/alginate scaffolds were made and characterized in the presence of berberine and barberry fruit extract. Second, the process of proliferation and differentiation of ovine fetal BM-MSCs (bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells) was assessed on these scaffolds after BM-MSCs were extracted and confirmed by developing into osteocyte and adipose cells. To investigate the differentiation, treatment groups include (1) ovine fetal BM-MSCs were plated in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium culture medium with high glucose containing 10% fetal bovine serum and antibiotics (negative control), (2) ovine fetal BM-MSCs were plated in osteogenic differentiation medium (positive control group), (3) positive control group + barberry fruit extract, (4) positive control group + berberine, (5) ovine fetal BM-MSCs were plated in osteogenic differentiation medium on chitosan/alginate scaffold (hydrogel group), (6) ovine fetal BM-MSCs were plated in osteogenic differentiation medium on chitosan/alginate/barberry fruit extract scaffold (hydrogel group containing barberry fruit extract), and (7) ovine fetal BM-MSCs were plated in osteogenic differentiation medium on chitosan/alginate/berberine scaffold (hydrogel group containing berberine). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme concentrations, mineralization rate using a calcium kit, and mineralization measurement by alizarin staining quantification were all found after 21 days of culture. In addition, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the expression of the ALP, COL1A2, and Runx2 genes. Days 5 and 7 had the lowest water absorption by the hydrogel scaffold containing barberry extract, which was significant in comparison to other groups (p < .05). Among the hydrogel scaffolds under study, the one containing barberry extract exhibited the lowest tensile strength, and this difference was statistically significant (p < .05). The chitosan/alginate hydrogel has the highest tensile strength of all of them. In comparison to the control and other treatment groups, the inclusion of berberine in the chitosan/alginate hydrogel significantly increased the expression of the ALP, Runx2, and COL1A2 genes (p < .05). The osteocyte differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in in vitro settings appears to have been enhanced by the inclusion of berberine in the chitosan/alginate scaffold., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The previous meta-analysis showed an advantageous effect of berberine supplementation on interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations; however, it is unknown the dosage that this component influences inflammatory biomarkers. A comprehensive search was done in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science until September 2022 to find randomized controlled trials (RCT) that assessed the effects of berberine/barberry on IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP in adults but not trials without a control group. Studies bias was assessed using RoB 2. A random-effects model was performed to calculate the weighted mean difference (WMD). A dose-dependent effect was calculated. Eighteen clinical trials with 1600 participants were included in the current meta-analysis. These interventions significantly mitigate IL-6 levels (-1.18 pg/mL), TNF-α levels (-3.72 pg/mL), and CRP levels (-1.33 mg/L). In addition, the non-linear analysis showed a significant lowering effect of berberine/barberry on IL-6 and TNF-α levels in doses <1000 mg/day and less than 5 weeks of intervention. There are limitations to our findings, including low-quality studies and significant heterogeneity. These interventions might be considered adjunct therapy to managing inflammation status. However, more investigation and high-quality evidence must be conducted to obtain more comprehensive and generalizable results., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Aerial parts (leaves and stems) of Berberis ruscifolia Lam. are a usual preparation as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antibacterial, and digestive in folk medicine. However, there were no previous studies of its chemical composition and biological activity related to analgesic effects., The Objective of the Study: The evaluation of the anti-nociception of the infusion (I), the decoction (D), and the ethanolic extract (EE) obtained from aerial parts of B. ruscifolia and its main chemical constituent in them, in mouse models., Material and Methods: The chemical constituent of B. ruscifolia extracts was evaluated and quantified by LC-MS and HPLC methodology. The inhibition of nociception in mice was analyzed by formalin and acetic acid-induced contortions tests. Also, when the formalin test was performed to evaluate the antinociceptive activity, the inhibition of edema formation and the antipyretic effect of each extract were simultaneously evaluated in the same experiment. For the oral administration in the in vivo assays, doses ranging from 10 to 1000 mg/kg and 10-30 mg/kg were used for extract and the chemical compound, respectively., Results: The presence of berberine (Berb) was identified in the three evaluated extracts where the EE showed the highest content of this compound getting a yield of 2%, while in the I and D, Berb is present at 0.2%. The three extracts promoted a reduction of the contortions induced by acetic acid, being observed in EE the highest activity with 63 ± 6% of significant inhibition of the nociceptive behavior at a dose of 300 mg/kg, while D significantly inhibited 32 ± 12% at the same dose and for I at a dose of 1000 mg/kg an inhibition of 44 ± 8% was observed. Likewise, in the formalin trial, I and EE reduced nociception at a dose of 1000 (31 ± 5%) and 300 (35 ± 3%) mg/kg, respectively in the neurogenic phase, while in the second phase of the experiment, all the extracts evaluated showed an antinociceptive effect, with significant inhibition of I of 54 ± 6% and D of 44 ± 5% at a dose of 1000 mg/kg and for EE showed a 63 ± 2% inhibition at a dose of 300 mg/kg being the one with the highest antinociceptive activity. These extracts showed no inhibition in temperature and formalin-injected paw edema formation when compared to the control. As for Berb, at a 30 mg/kg dose, it showed significant inhibition of 70 ± 5% in the acetic acid-induced contortion test., Conclusion: Altogether, the present results evidenced the analgesic properties of B. ruscifolia, scientific information presented for the first time, and also provided important knowledge not reported so far about the chemical composition of its extracts, by identifying the presence of Berb in them. Finally, we were able to conclude that the analgesic effect demonstrated by this medicinal plant is partly due to the presence of Berb., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Berberis lycium Royle, a member of the Berberidaceae family, is a high-value medicinal plant with a documented history of usage in traditional medicine and has demonstrated significant therapeutic results among local populations throughout the globe. It is used traditionally in many parts of Pakistan to treat diarrhea, abdominal spasms, coughs, and chest problems., Aim of the Study: To investigate the antispasmodic, bronchodilator, and antidiarrheal effects of B. lycium and its possible underlying mechanisms through in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies., Materials and Methods: LC ESI-MS/MS analysis was used to identify bioactive components within the hydromethanolic extract of B. lycium. In silico studies, including network pharmacology and molecular docking, were utilized to investigate the antispasmodic and bronchodilator properties of the extract's bioactive components. In vitro pharmacological studies were conducted using isolated rabbit jejunum, trachea, urinary bladder, and rat ileum preparations. In vivo antidiarrheal activities were conducted in mice, including castor oil-induced diarrhea, intestinal transit, and castor oil-induced enteropooling., Results: The LC ESI-MS/MS analysis of the hydromethanolic extract of B. lycium identified 38 bioactive compounds. Network pharmacology study demonstrated that the mechanism of BLR for the treatment of diarrhea might involve IL1B, TLR4, PIK3R1, TNF, PTPRC, IL2, PIK3CD, and ABCB1, whereas, for respiratory ailments, it may involve PIK3CG, TRPV1, STAT3, ICAM1, ACE, PTGER2, PTGS2, TNF, MMP9, NOS2, IL2, CCR5, HRH1, and VDR. Molecular docking research revealed that chlorogenic acid, epigallocatechin, isorhamnetin, quinic acid, gallic acid, camptothecin, formononetin-7-O-glucoside, velutin, caffeic acid, and (S)-luteanine exhibited a higher docking score than dicyclomine with validated proteins of smooth muscle contractions such as CACB2&#95;HUMAN, ACM3&#95;HUMAN, MYLK&#95;HUMAN, and PLCG1&#95;HUMAN. In vitro investigations demonstrated that Blr.Cr, Blr.EtOAc, and Blr.Aq relaxed spontaneously contracting jejunum preparations; carbachol (1 μM)-induced and K + (80 mM)-induced jejunum, trachea, and urinary bladder contractions in a concentration-dependent manner, similar to dicyclomine. Moreover, Blr.Cr, Blr.EtOAc, and Blr.Aq exhibited a rightward shift in Ca +2 and carbachol cumulative response curves, similar to dicyclomine, demonstrating the coexistence of antimuscarinic and Ca +2 antagonistic mechanisms due to the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids. In vivo antidiarrheal activities showed that the hydromethanolic extract was significantly effective against castor oil-induced diarrhea and castor oil-induced enteropooling, similar to loperamide, and charcoal meal intestinal transit, similar to atropine, in mice at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight, which supports its traditional use in diarrhea., Conclusion: The dual blocking mechanism of muscarinic receptors and Ca +2 channels behind the smooth muscle relaxing activity reveals the therapeutic relevance of B. lycium in diarrhea, abdominal spasms, coughs, and chest problems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This meta-analysis study assessed the effects of Berberis vulgaris L. and Berberis aristata L. in patients with metabolic syndrome., Methods: Data were analysed through "random-effects meta-regression" performance., Results: The findings indicated that LDL was 0.68 and 2.92 lower in the B. vulgaris L. and B. aristata L.-treated groups versus the controls. The HDL was 0.71-fold higher in the B. aristata L.-treated group versus the controls. The total-cholesterol levels were 1.02 and 2.25 folds lower in the B. vulgaris L. and B. aristata L.-treated groups versus the matched control groups. The triglyceride levels were 1.35 and 1.16-fold lower in the B. vulgaris L. and B. aristata L.-treated groups versus the controls. Glucose was 0.96 and 0.54 folds lower in the B. vulgaris L. and B. aristata L.-treated groups versus the control groups, respectively., Conclusion: B. vulgaris L. and B. aristata L. have beneficial effects in patients with metabolic syndrome.

This study was designed to compare the effects of natural nitrite sources from the arugula leaves (arugula extract and pre-converted arugula extract) and the use of barberry extract (BE) in heat-treated fermented sausage formulations. Eight different sausages were manufactured as follows: pre-converted arugula extract (PA), arugula extract (A), pre-converted arugula extract + BE (PAB), arugula extract + BE (AB), nitrite +BE (POB), no nitrite+ BE (NEB), also positive and negative control groups were prepared with (POC) or without nitrite (NEC). The addition of arugula and barberry extracts reduced the residual nitrite content, in fact PAB had the lowest value with a reduction ratio of 47%. The addition of BE lowered the lipid oxidation compared to other counterparts. The use of arugula extract or pre-converted arugula extract resulted in a lower carbonylation than nitrite free samples. The use of natural extracts lowered the a* and b* values compared to control. At the end of the storage, no differences were observed on the overall acceptability of all samples. Combined use of barberry extract with arugula and pre-converted arugula extracts could be used as alternative novel curing agent in heat-treated fermented sausages., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare that we have no competing financial interests or personal relationships for the paper entitled “Effects of Natural Nitrite Sources from Arugula and Barberry Extract on Quality Characteristic of Heat-treated Fermented Sausages”., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Wheat stripe rust is an airborne and destructive disease caused by a heteroecious rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst ). Studies have demonstrated that the rust pathogen accomplishes sexual reproduction on susceptible barberry under natural conditions in spring, whereas Pst infection on barberry is still in blank in other seasons. In late October 2016, aecial production on barberry shrubs were observed in Linzhi, Tibet, China. Therefore, experimental tests were conducted to verify the existence of sexual cycles of Pst in this season. By inoculating 52 aecial clusters from 30 rusted barberry leaves, four Pst samples, T1 to T4, were successfully recovered from the rusted barberry shrubs. Sixty-five single uredinium (SU) isolates were derived from the four Pst samples. Based on virulence tests on the Chinese differential hosts, T1 to T4 samples were unknown races and showed mixed reactions on some differentials. Twenty-one known races and 44 unknown races belonging to five race groups were identified among the 65 SU isolates. Meanwhile, the 65 SU isolates produced 26 various virulence patterns (VPs; called VP1-VP26) on 25 single Yr gene lines and 15 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) at nine simple sequence repeat marker loci. Clustering analysis showed similar lineage among subpopulations and different lineage between subpopulations. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the SU population was produced sexually. This study first reported that Pst infects susceptible barberry to complete sexual reproduction in autumn. The results update the knowledge of disease cycle and management of wheat stripe rust and contribute to the understanding of rust genetic diversity in Tibet.

To understand the inheritance of the TSA-6 Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst ) isolate that is virulent to Yr5 and was recently detected in China, we analyzed avirulence and virulence of 120 selfed progeny lines from Berberis shensiana . The results showed that the TSA-6 isolate is virulent against the Yr5 resistance gene, and overall progeny lines were categorized into 73 virulence phenotypes (VPs); of these, 72 VPs differed from the isolate TSA-6, and only one VP, including three progeny, was identical to the parental isolate. The analyses indicated that the TSA-6 isolate is homozygous for avirulence at the Yr10 , Yr15 , and Yr26 resistance loci and virulence at the YrA resistance locus. The TSA-6 isolate is heterozygous for avirulence at the Yr2 , Yr3 , Yr5 , Yr7 , and Yr8 resistance loci, which are controlled by a dominant/recessive relationship. The Yr1 , Yr6 , Yr9 , Yr17 , Yr27 , Yr25 , Yr28 , Yr29 , Yr32 , YrTr1 , and YrSP resistance loci are governed by two complementary dominant/recessive genes. Avirulence against heterozygous Yr4 , Yr43 , Yr44 , Yr76 , and YrExp2 resistance loci is regulated by a dominant and recessive or a dominant and suppressor gene pair. In total, 117 multilocus genotypes were detected at 24 KASP-SNP marker loci among the 120 progenies. Using these marker loci, we constructed a linkage map with a genetic distance interval spanning 624.5 cM. Quantitative trait loci corresponding to phenotypic segregation for virulence at 20 Yr resistance loci in addition to the Yr1 resistance locus were identified. These results facilitate our understanding of Pst virulence evolution and simplify breeding of wheat cultivars with effective resistance to wheat stripe rust.

Emergence of new Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici races that overcome resistance of wheat cultivars is a challenging issue for wheat production. Although sexual reproduction of the fungus on barberry plants under field conditions in the spring in China has been reported, the diversity of the pathogen on barberry plants and the relationship to the population in wheat fields have not been determined. In the present study, two P. striiformis f. sp. tritici populations collected in western Shaanxi Province in May 2016, one from barberry plants (103 isolates) and the other from nearby wheat crops (107 isolates), were phenotyped for virulence and genotyped with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The phenotypic and genotypic data of the two populations were compared to determine their relationships. A total of 120 races, including 29 previously known races (seven were shared by the two populations) and 91 new races (35 from barberry and 56 from wheat), were identified. Similarly, a total of 132 multilocus genotypes, including 51 only from barberry, 77 only from wheat, and four from both, were detected using the SSR markers. Analyses of molecular variance identified high (93%) genetic variance within populations and low but still significant variance (7%) between the populations. Nonparametric multivariate discriminant analysis of principal components and STRUCTURE analysis showed that the two populations had a close relationship with little genetic differentiation ( F ST = 0.038) and strong gene flow ( Nm = 6.34, P = 0.001) between them. Although the analysis of linkage disequilibrium indicated clonal populations, the isolation of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici from barberry plants and the high genetic diversities in the barberry and wheat populations suggest that barberry plants provide aeciospores to infect wheat crops in the area. The information is useful for understanding stripe rust epidemiology and management of the disease.

This study aimed to explore the potential mechanism of Berberis atrocarpa Schneid. anthocyanin against Alzheimer's disease(AD) based on network pharmacology, molecular docking technology, and in vitro experiments. Databases were used to screen out the potential targets of the active components of B. atrocarpa and the targets related to AD. STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 were adopted to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network and carry out topological analysis of the common targets. Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed on the target using the DAVID 6.8 database. Molecular docking was conducted to the active components and targets related to the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) pathway. Finally, lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was used to induce BV2 cells to establish the model of AD neuroinflammation for in vitro experimental validation. In this study, 426 potential targets of active components of B. atrocarpa and 329 drug-disease common targets were obtained, and 14 key targets were screened out by PPI network. A total of 623 items and 112 items were obtained by GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, respectively. Molecular docking results showed that NF-κB, NF-κB inhibitor(IκB), TLR4, and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88) had good binding abilities to the active components, and malvidin-3-O-glucoside had the strongest binding ability. Compared with the model group, the concentration of nitric oxide(NO) decreased at different doses of malvidin-3-O-glucoside without affecting the cell survival rate. Meanwhile, malvidin-3-O-glucoside down-regulated the protein expressions of NF-κB, IκB, TLR4, and MyD88. This study uses network pharmacology and experimental verification to preliminarily reveal that B. atrocarpa anthocyanin can inhibit LPS-induced neuroinflammation by regulating the NF-κB/TLR4 signaling pathway, thereby achieving the effect against AD, which provides a theoretical basis for the study of its pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism.

This study was aimed to first, determine the nutritional value of Berberis vulgaris leaf (BVL), using in vitro gas production technique and second, determine the effect of replacing alfalfa hay (AH) with BVL in lamb diets on nutrient intake, performance, and carcass traits. In vitro rumen gas kinetics and fermentation profile were assessed using three fistulated lambs and 96 h incubation of samples. For the in vivo trial, 21 Baluchi male lambs of 5-6 mo of age and 30.6 ± 1.28 kg body weight (BW) were randomly assigned to three treatment diets containing BVL at 0% (CTRL), 7.5% (BVL7.5), and 15% (BVL15) of the total dry matter (DM) inclusion. The study lasted 84 d, which included 14 d for adaption and 70 d for sample collection. In vitro results showed that BVL had lower gas yield (GY24, P ≤ 0.05) than AH. In vivo trial revealed that DM intake increased with BVL15 followed by BVL7.5 (P ≤ 0.05). Digestibility of DM, organic matter, NDF, and acid detergent lignin decreased (P ≤ 0.05) with BVL15. Total weight gain, average daily gain, hot carcass weight, and cold carcass weight were decreased (P ≤ 0.05) with BVL15, however, no differences were observed between the BVL7.5 and CTRL groups. Feed cost per kilogram BW gain decrease (P ≤ 0.05) by increasing the inclusion levels of BVL. In conclusion, BVL (up to 7.5% DM of diet) have positive consequences on performance, nutrient intake, rumen fermentation without deleterious effects on fattening performance., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

The telial stage of Puccinia chunjiei was described in 2012 from a single specimen collected in China (DAOM 240982). This species is the closest relative of P. graminis but differs in telial morphology on their grass hosts and in DNA sequences. As part of a DNA-barcoding project for rust herbarium specimens, collections of the aecial stage of P. graminis on Berberis were processed. For one specimen, BPI 1103856, the ITS sequence matched that of P. chunjiei and the aecial morphology differed from P. graminis . An expanded description of P. chunjiei is presented with photographs of the aecial stages of both species., (2023, by The Mycological Society of Japan.)

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) is a medicinal plant and its main constituent is an isoquinoline alkaloid named berberine that has multiple pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-microbial, antiinflammatory, anticancer, anti-diabetes, anti-dyslipidemia, and anti-obesity. However, it has restricted clinical uses due to its very poor solubility and bioavailability (less than 1%). It undergoes demethylenation, reduction, and cleavage of the dioxymethylene group in the first phase of metabolism. Its phase two reactions include glucuronidation, sulfation, and methylation. The liver is the main site for berberine distribution. Berberine could excrete in feces, urine, and bile. Fecal excretion of berberine (11-23%) is higher than urinary and biliary excretion routes. However, a major berberine metabolite is excreted in urine greater than in feces. Concomitant administration of berberine with other drugs such as metformin, cyclosporine A, digoxin, etc. may result in important interactions. Thus, in this review, we gathered and dissected any related animal and human research articles regarding the pharmacokinetic parameters of berberine including bioavailability, metabolism, distribution, excretion, and drug-drug interactions. Also, we discussed and gathered various animal and human studies regarding the developed products of berberine with better bioavailability and consequently, better therapeutic effects., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

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., (© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

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.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Xiao Bopi (XBP, སྐྱེར་བའི་བར་ཤུན།), as a classical Tibetan medicinal plant in China, which derived from the stem bark of Berberis dictyophylla F., has the function of "clearing heat and decreasing mKhris-pa". And it traditionally is utilized to treat the diabetes mellitus and its complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear., Aim of the Study: The purpose of this study aimed to explore the microvascular protection of water extract of XBP against the spontaneous retinal damage of db/db mice. Meanwhile, the underlying mechanisms of XBP on angiogenesis and apoptosis were further interpreted., Materials and Methods: We firstly used high-performance liquid chromatography to detected the representative chemical ingredients in the water extract of XBP. The DR model of db/db mice was then randomly divided into five groups: model group, calcium dobesilate (0.23 g/kg) group, and the water extract of XBP (0.375, 0.75 and 1.5 g/kg, respectively) groups. After 8 weeks of continuous administration, the parameters including body weight, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were measured. The pathological changes and abnormal angiogenesis of the retina were detected by optical coherence tomography, HE, periodic acid-Schiff staining and transmission electron microscopy. Simultaneously, molecular docking was used to predict the potential connections between representative ingredients in XBP and angiogenesis/apoptosis-related proteins. The level of angiogenesis-related proteins and gene hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth (VEGF), delta-like ligand 4 (DLL-4) and Notch-1 were estimated by immunofluorescence analyses and real time-PCR. Further, TUNEL staining and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to investigate the apoptotic phenomenon and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Apaf-1, Cyto-c and cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 in the retina., Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed that magnoflorine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and berberine were principally representative ingredients in XBP. The results demonstrated that XBP effectively increased glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, whereas no effect on body weight of DR mice. Moreover, retinal thickening, pathological and retinal ultrastructure changes in DR mice were evidently ameliorated by XBP. The molecular docking results demonstrated that the main components of XBP and the protein of angiogenesis and apoptosis had a potential bind. XBP restrained the gene and protein levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, DLL-4 and Notch-1 in retina. Additionally, the TUNEL-positive cell rate and the down-regulated proteins of Bax, Apaf-1, Cyto-c, cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved Caspase 9 and increased Bcl-2 level were revised by XBP., Conclusions: To sum up, the results suggested that XBP against DR could attribute to alleviating angiogenesis and apoptosis by suppressing the HIF-1α/VEGF/DLL-4/Notch-1 pathway. This evidence sheds a new light on the potential mechanisms of XBP in the treatment of DR., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increased emergence of cereal stem rust in southern and western Europe, caused by the pathogen Puccinia graminis , and the prevalence of alternate (sexual) host, Berberis species, have regained attention as the sexual host may serve as source of novel pathogen variability that may pose a threat to cereal supply. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the functional role of Berberis species in the current epidemiological situation of cereal stem rust in Europe. Surveys in 11 European countries were carried out from 2018 to 2020, where aecial infections from five barberry species were collected. Phylogenetic analysis of 121 single aecial clusters of diverse origin using the elongation factor 1-α gene indicated the presence of different special forms (aka formae speciales ) of P. graminis adapted to different cereal and grass species. Inoculation studies using aecial clusters from Spain, United Kingdom, and Switzerland resulted in 533 stem rust isolates sampled from wheat, barley, rye, and oat, which confirmed the presence of multiple special forms of P. graminis . Microsatellite marker analysis of a subset of 192 sexually-derived isolates recovered on wheat, barley and rye from the three populations confirmed the generation of novel genetic diversity revealed by the detection of 135 multilocus genotypes. Discriminant analysis of principal components resulted in four genetic clusters, which grouped at both local and country level. Here, we demonstrated that a variety of Berberis species may serve as functional alternate hosts for cereal stem rust fungi and highlights the increased risks that the sexual cycle may pose to cereal production in Europe, which calls for new initiatives within rust surveillance, epidemiological research and resistance breeding., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Rodriguez-Algaba, Hovmøller, Schulz, Hansen, Lezáun, Joaquim, Randazzo, Czembor, Zemeca, Slikova, Hanzalová, Holdgate, Wilderspin, Mascher, Suffert, Leconte, Flath and Justesen.)

This work assessed the phenolic and flavonoid components and their antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial effects in the ethanolic extract of barberry leaf and roots. The antibactericidal activity of root and leaf extracts against pathogenic bacteria was tested using agar diffusion and microdilution broth production for the lowest inhibitory concentration (MIC). Berberis vulgaris root and leaf extracts inhibited Staphylococcus aureus ATCC9973, Escherichia coli HB101, Staphylococcus enteritis , and Escherichia coli Cip812. The disc assay technique was used to assess the bactericidal activity of the extracts versus both pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Hydro alcoholic extract was more effective against bacterial than fungal strains. The results showed that Berberis vulgaris leaf and roots extract had similar antifungal activities. Berberis vulgaris root extract inhibited the mycelial growth of Penicillium verrucosum, Fusarium proliferatum , Aspergillus ochraceous, Aspergillus niger , and Aspergillus flavus . Berberis vulgaris root extract has excellent antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. Berberis vulgaris exhibited antimicrobial activity in vitro, and MIC showed that Berberis vulgaris parts efficiently affected pathogens in vitro. In conclusion, both Berberis vulgaris roots and leaves have considerable antibacterial activity and can be used as a source of antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive compounds to benefit human health.

Berberis baluchistanica Ahrendt is a medicinal plant potentially known for the treatment of different diseases. The bioactive, antioxidant, nutritional components, and antimicrobial properties of crude ethanolic root extract of Berberis baluchistanica were evaluated in this study. The extract was analyzed for total phenolic, flavonoid, DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) scavenging ability, FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), nutritional, and antimicrobial potentials. The alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, coumarin, saponins, phenolics, flavonoids, steroids, and terpenoids were confirmed. The extract possessed DPPH radical inhibition with the IC 50 of 1.125 mg/mL and FRAP % reduction activity with IC 50 (0.912 mg/mL). Total phenolic 19.897 ± 4.8141 mg GAE/g and flavonoid 12.9876 ± 0.8388 mg QE/g contents were confirmed in the root. The extracts exhibit good antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of food borne pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella typhi , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus . The highest inhibitory activity was against Escherichia coli 23.30 ± 1.16 mm and lowest against Klebsiella pneumoniae 7 ± 0.01 mm. Furthermore, the presence of various phytochemical constituents (plant secondary metabolites) was also confirmed with gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis. Results disclosed the occurrence of more than 70 compounds possessing various medicinal properties supporting the traditional uses of root of Berberis baluchistanica in various medical complications indigenously., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zareen Gul et al.)

Water use patterns of trees and shrubs in the Picea schrenkiana coniferous forest remain unclear, due to a lack of quantitative analysis on water use dynamics. In this study, the xylem water hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope compositions of P. schrenkiana and the companion shrub species Berberis heteropoda were measured to detect their water sources. The IsoSource model was used to analyze the relative contribution of each potential water source for both species during summer. The results showed that during July, P. schrenkiana and B. heterocarpa mainly extracted water from the 0-60 cm soil layer due to the relatively sufficient soil water content, with the relative contributions being 73.8% and 63.2% for the two species, respectively. In August, with the decreases in soil water content, water source of P. schrenkiana remained stable, and the relative contribution of soil water above 60 cm was 69.5%. In contrast, B. heterocarpa reverted to water source from deeper soil layer, with the relative contribution of shallow soil (0-20 cm) water decreasing to 14.3% and that of middle (20-60 cm) to deep (60-100 cm) soil water increased to 67.7%. In September, with the increases of water content in the shallow soil layer, both species extracted water from shallow soil layers, with the relative contribution reaching to 95.0%. In summary, P. schren-kiana exhibited typical shallow root characteristics, while B. heterocarpa extracted water from the 0-100 cm soil profile and could flexibly change its water source corresponding to changes in soil water content to cope with changing environmental water condition.

In recent years, silver nanoparticles have been used as modern chemotherapeutic drugs to treat several cancers such as pancreatic, breast, prostate, and blood cancers. No previous reports demonstrated the in vitro anti-human pancreatic cancer effects of the novel chemotherapeutic drug formulated by silver nanoparticles containing Berberis thunbergii leaf (AgNPs). The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using different techniques including UV-vis. and FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and TEM. All techniques approved the synthesized silver nanoparticles. The SEM and TEM exhibited a uniform spherical morphology and an average size of about 15 nm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles, respectively. The 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde,2,2-diphenyl-1- pikrilhydrazil (DPPH) test revealed similar antioxidant potentials for B. thunbergii leaf aqueous extract, AgNPs, and butylated hydroxytoluene. AgNPs inhibited half of the DPPH molecules in the concentration of 108 μg/mL. To survey the anti-human pancreatic cancer activities of AgNO 3 , B. thunbergii leaf aqueous extract, and AgNPs, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used on common human pancreatic cancer cell lines. AgNPs had very low cell viability and anti-human pancreatic cancer effects dose-dependently against PANC-1, AsPC-1, and MIA PaCa-2. The IC50 values of the AgNPs were 259, 268, and 141 μg/mL against PANC-1, AsPC-1, and MIA PaCa-2 cell lines, respectively. It is thought that the AgNPs obtained can be used as an anticancer drug for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in humans after acceptance of the above findings in clinical study trials., (© 2021 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Mahonia bealei is one of the important members of the genus Mahonia and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Several compounds isolated from this plant have exhibited useful biological activities. Polysaccharides, an important biomacromolecule have been underexplored in case of M. bealei. In this study, hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation were used for the extraction of polysaccharides from the stem of M. bealei, and then extract was purified using ultrafiltration membrane at 50,000 Da cut off value. Characterization of the purified M. bealei polysaccharide (MBP) was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), along with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray crystallography XRD analysis and Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The purified polysaccharide MBP was tested for antioxidant potential by determining its reducing power, besides determining the DPPH, ABTS, superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging along with ferrous ion chelating activities. An increased antioxidant activity of the polysaccharide was reported with increase in concentration (0.5 to 5 mg/ml) for all the parameters. Antimicrobial potential was determined against gram positive and gram-negative bacteria. 20 µg/ml MBP was found appropriate with 12 h incubation period against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis bacteria. We conclude that polysaccharides from M. bealei possess potential ability of biological importance; however, more studies are required for elucidation of their structure and useful activities., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Medicinal plants have great importance to the consumer health, as beside beneficial compounds, plants can accumulate essential and nonessential metals from soil and surrounding environments, leading to consumer health risks. Assuming this, the present study is aimed at evaluating the elemental composition and daily dose standardization based on essential and nonessential trace element presence in of bark, leaves, and roots of Berberis baluchistanica Ahrendt, a common medicinal plant used as a folk medicine in the region. Atomic absorption and flame emission spectroscopy were performed to analyze the presence of essential and nonessential elements manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), and potassium (K). Among the essential elements, K was present at high concentrations in the bark (8926.98 ± 0.32  μ g/g), leaves (7922.77 ± 0.42  μ g/g), and roots (6668.5 ± 0.96  μ g/g) of the plant. The estimated concentration of Na was higher in leaves (1782.56 ± 0.13  μ g/g), followed by roots (1089.5 ± 0.71  μ g/g) and bark (572.8 ± 0.62  μ g/g). The Fe concentration varied in the range of 394.7 ± 0.3  μ g/g in bark, 1298.3 ± 0.54  μ g/g in leaves, and 1208.9 ± 0.7  μ g/g in roots. The trace transition element Mn was highest in leaves (42.7 ± 0.99  μ g/g), followed by roots (33.5 ± 0.94  μ g/g) and bark (22 ± 1  μ g/g). The Cu concentration was low, ranging from 20.1 ± 0.63 to 22.67 ± 0.7  μ g/g in leaves, bark, and roots. The obtained concentration of nonessential element Pb was relatively lower than the permissible range (10 mgL-1) established by the World Health Organization. The elemental concentrations in all parts were within the set limits for provisional tolerable daily maximum intake (PTDMI) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and the hazard quotient index (HQ) was below 1 for all toxic metals. The micro and macroelemental distribution and the overall medicinal potential of any medicinal plant can be correlated for dose risk estimation, which will be useful in providing knowledge regarding the contraindication associated with folk medicines. In the present study, based on the elemental composition, it was calculated that the daily safe dose for Berberis baluchistanica is approximately 2-5 g/day of raw powder for an adult, which must not be exceeded to this safe range., Competing Interests: On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zareen Gul et al.)

Objective: This study assessed the major nutrients and antioxidant properties of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk fruits collected from the Nanshan Mountain area of Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China., Methods and Materials: We assessed the basic nutrients, including amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids, and determined the total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of the extracts., Results: The analytical results revealed the average water (75.22 g/100 g), total fat (0.506 g/100 g), total protein (2.55 g/100 g), ash (1.31 g/100 g), and carbohydrate (17.72 g/100 g) contents in fresh B. heteropoda fruit, with total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of B. heteropoda fruits at 68.55 mg gallic acid equivalents/g, 108.42 mg quercetin equivalents/g, and 19.83 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/g, respectively. Additionally, UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE analysis of polyphenols in B. heteropoda fruit revealed 32 compounds., Conclusion: B. heteropoda fruits may have potential nutraceutical value and represent a potential source of nutrition and antioxidant phytochemicals in the human diet., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic auto-immune disease, is often result of persistent and misdirectional inflammation and cannot be effectually resolved by single-target selective drugs. Present study attempted to uncover anti-arthritic efficacy and governing molecular mechanism of BLFE and its phytoconstituents berberine and rutin, with focus on dysregulated oxi-inflammation and structural integrity during articular damage using Collagen II-CFA-induced RA mice model. NMR-based phytometabolomic analysis revealed presence of phenolics and alkaloids such as berberine and rutin. BLFE, rutin and berberine remarkably mitigated Collagen II-CFA-induced disease severity index, articular damage, immune cells influx and pannus formation. An effective decrease in levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-13, IL-17, MMPs, RORγt, Ob-cadherin, Cox-2, iNOS and enhancement in IL-10, IL-4 and IL-5, BMP-6/7 was observed in BLFE, rutin and berberine treatments. Molecular mechanistic analysis demonstrated reduction in expression of p-STAT-1/3, p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-JNK, p-p38, p-IκB, p-NF-κB and β-catenin via BLFE, rutin and berberine. Furthermore, reduced activation of p-ERK and p-GSK3β and enhanced splenic Tregs was only noticed in BLFE and berberine. Thus, the signifying presence of these phytoconstituents could contribute to the above-mentioned findings. These findings imply that BLFE could be beneficial for assuaging deleterious aspects of RA mediated via perturbed inflammation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Three undescribed prenylated benzoic acid derivatives berberisides A-C ( 1-3 ) and a new clerodane glycoside berberiside D ( 4 ) were isolated from Berberis tsarica Aherndt. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS analysis. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of all isolates were studied against lung carcinoma A549, hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Among them, compounds 1 and 4 exhibited anti-proliferative effects against three tumor cell lines with IC 50 ranging from 28.97 ± 2.18 to 35.83 ± 0.72 μM.

An eco-friendly biogenic method for the synthesis of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) using phytochemically rich Berberis pachyacantha leaf extract (BPL) was established. To achieve this purpose, 80 mL of BPL extract was used as a suitable reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of NiONPs. The synthesis of BPL-based nickel oxide nanoparticles (BPL@NiONPs) was confirmed using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques: UV Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Spectroscopically, BPL-NiONPs was found with a pure elemental composition (oxygen and nickel), average size (22.53 nm) and rhombohedral structure with multiple functional groups (-OH group and Ni-O formation) on their surface. In the next step, the BPL extract and BPL@NiONPs were further investigated for various biological activities. As compared to BPL extract, BPL@NiONPs exhibited strong biological activities. BPL@NiONPs showed remarkable antioxidant activities in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (76.08%) and total antioxidant capacity (68.74%). Antibacterial action was found against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (27 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (20 mm) and Escherichia coli (19.67 mm) at 500 µg/mL. While antifungal potentials were shown against Alternaria alternata (81.25%), Fusarium oxysporum (42.86%) and Aspergillus niger (42%) at 1000 µg/mL. Similarly, dose-dependent cytotoxicity response was confirmed against brine shrimp with IC50 value (45.08 µg/mL). Additionally, BPL@NiONPs exhibited stimulatory efficacy by enhancing seed germination rate at low concentrations (31.25 and 62.5 µg/mL). In conclusion, this study depicted that BPL extract has important phytochemicals with remarkable antioxidant activities, which successfully reduced and stabilized the BPL@NiONPs. The overall result of this study suggested that BPL@NiONPs could be used as nanomedicines and nanofertilizers in biomedical and agrarian fields.

Józef Warszewicz (1812-1864) was one of the first Polish naturalists to explore the flora of the tropical New World. During two expeditions to Central and South America (1844-1850 and 1850-1853) he collected and delivered to Europe up to twenty thousand plant specimens. To honour his service and his achievements in plant collections, different taxonomists described more than 100 taxa using the surname Warszewicz, for example in the genus name ( Warszewiczia ) and the species epithets ( warszewiczii , warscewiczii , warszewicziana ). Unfortunately, a large part of Warszewicz's collection of plant species deposited in the Berlin Herbarium (B), including many type specimens was destroyed during World War II. During digitisation of herbarium collections preserved in the Herbarium of the Jagiellonian University (KRA), we reviewed more than 650 herbarium sheets with plant specimens collected by Warszewicz and originating from his trips to Central and South America. In this paper, we present the typification of five names of species, described base on Warszewicz's plant material. We select lectotypes for Berberiswarszewiczii , Esenbeckiawarscewiczii , Psammisiaramiflora , Remijiainvolucrata and Rondeletiaorthoneura , and provide data on the presence of 17 specimens (isotypes) representing Esenbeckiacornuta , an extremely rare species, that to date is known only from the type locality in Peru. A list of all Warszewicz's specimens preserved at KRA herbarium is also presented. Additionally, in the result of the revision of syntypes of Berberismultiflora and Rondeletiareflexa we designated here the lectotypes for these taxa., (Marcin Nobis, Ewelina Klichowska, Mateusz Wolanin, Agnieszka Nobis, Arkadiusz Nowak.)

Background: Despite significant advances in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVDs), there is still a large burden of CVD in the world. The inclusion of functional foods in the diet may provide beneficial effects on CVD. Purple-black barberry due to its richness in anthocyanins and berberine has shown beneficial effects on cardiometabolic factors. We investigated the effects of barberry on plasma lipids as well as inflammatory biomarkers in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors., Methods: This was an 8-weeks, single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial that the participants were randomly assigned to a barberry (10 g/day dried barberry) or placebo group. At baseline and end of the study, plasma lipid profiles including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), small-dense LDL-C (sd-LDL-C), non-HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C, as well as inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed., Results: Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to study groups. The mean (± SD) participants' age was 54.06 ± 10.19 years. Body weight, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and dietary intake were not different between the two groups at baseline and the end of the study. After adjusting for baseline values, we observed a significant decrease in plasma levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, sd-LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, p = 0.015, p = 0.019, p = 0.004, and p = 0.039 respectively) as well as CRP (p = 0.020) in the barberry group compared to the placebo group., Conclusions: Our results indicate that purple-black barberry consumption decreases plasma levels of CRP and improves lipid profile in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors., Trial Registration: This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT number: NCT04084847 )., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

To investigate in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant and in vivo hypoglycaemic effects of crude methanolic extracts (CMEs) of Berberis baluchistanica and Daphne oleoides. MTT assay for cytotoxicity on HeLa and NIH cells, disc diffusion protocols for antimicrobial and DPPH assay for antioxidant potential were applied. In vivo hypoglycaemic effect was investigated on Alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. D. oleoides CME exhibited moderate cytotoxic behaviour against HeLa cells (IC 50 77.87μg/mL) whereas B. baluchistanica CME was found deficient (IC 50 170.02μg/mL). P. aeruginosa was susceptible to both CMEs. M. luteus and B. subtilis was prone to the bactericidal effects of D. oleoides and B. baluchistanica CMEs respectively. D. oleoides CME inhibited more than 80% S. cerevisiae and 60% C. glabrata colonies. B. baluchistanica CME showed significant antioxidant activity (IC 50 52.86μg/ml) than D. oleoides CME (IC 50 87.30μg/ml) and standard resveratrol (IC 50 109.46μg/ml). B. baluchistanica CME showed superior antidiabetic effect (135.75 mg/dl ±0.53) as compared to D. oleoides CME (191.50 mg/dl ± 0.48) but less antidiabetic effect than metformin hydrochloride (standard). All the above potentials exhibited by D. oleoides and B. baluchistanica CMEs propose further investigations to isolate and purify responsible biologically active lead molecule(s) with diverse capabilities.

Organic substrates are gaining popularity as a means of mitigating the negative effects of cadmium (Cd) stress on plant growth. The aim of the present study was to investigate the physio-biochemical attributes of Berberis integerrima bunge under Cd-contaminated soil. The pot experiment was carried out based on a completely randomized design (CRD) with six replicates. Cd stress was used as cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) at 10, 20, and 30 mg Cd kg -1 dry soil. Biochar was applied at the doses of 125 g per pot, and vermicompost was used at the doses of 250 g per pot separately, and for their combination, they were used as 125 g per pot of BC + 250 g per pot of VC. The results showed higher Cd accumulation in both roots and leaves when the soil was polluted with Cd concentrations, but both BC and VC decreased the Cd accumulation in plant tissues. Although chlorophyll content and relative water content (RWC) decreased at 20 and 30 mg Cd kg -1 soil, BC and VC, particularly their combination, increased these traits. The highest total phenolic content (TPC) was observed in plants exposed to 20 mg Cd kg -1 soil and combined BC and VC. The total flavonoid content (TFC) was increased to 20 mg Cd kg -1 soil and then decreased to 30 mg Cd kg -1 soil. In addition, organic fertilizer promoted the plants' high accumulation of TFC. The greater activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were observed at 30 mg Cd kg -1 soil when organic substrates were added. The present study suggests the use of combined BC and VC lead to alleviate the adverse effects of Cd stress in B. integerrima., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

We investigated the protective effect of fractions and essential oil from Berberis calliobotrys on H2O2 induced oxidative damage on pBR322 DNA. The crude plant material was extracted using 90% methanolic and liquid-liquid fractionation was accomplished. The essential oil analysis was performed using GC/MS. The FRAP and DPPH assays were performed to determine antioxidant activity. The DNA protection assay was performed using plasmid pBR 322 DNA. The essential oil analysis indicated presence of germacrene D (9.26%), stearic acid (7.50%), methyl tetradecanoate (6.36%) α-thujene (5.71%) and α-muurolol (5.30%) methyl eugenol (5.17%). In vitro analysis showed significant antioxidant activity of all tested extracts and essential oil. The extract showed significant effects at (1000 μg/mL) on pBR322 DNA. Finally it was concluded that Berberis calliobotrys possesses signifgant protective on effects pBR322 DNA and RBC cellular membrane.

SARS-CoV-2 (or COVID-19) has become a global risk and scientists are attempting to investigate antiviral vaccine. Berberis are important plants due to the presence of bioactive phytochemicals, especially berberine from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline and recent studies have shown its potential in treating COVID-19. B. lycium Royle growing in subtropical regions of Asia had wide applications in Indian system of medicine. Rapid determination and novel optimisation method for berberine extraction has been developed by Soxhlet extraction utilising central composite design-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM). Berberine was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the highest yield (13.39%) was obtained by maintaining optimal extraction conditions i.e., extraction time (7.28 hrs), ethyl alcohol (52.21%) and solvent to sample ratio (21.78 v/w). Investigation of two geographic regions (Ramnagar and Srinagar) showed high berberine content in lower altitude. This novel optimisation technique has placed berberine as a potential candidate for developing pharmaceutical products for human health care.

Natural products are well known for their high potency with minimum side effects. Plant extracts are the most commonly used natural products because of their ease of availability and relatively low production cost. Berberine (BBR), a phytochemical component of some Chinese medicinal herbs (most commonly Berberis vulgaris), is an isoquinoline alkaloid with several biological and pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumour, antimicrobial, antidepressant, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic actions. Interestingly, multiple studies have shown that BBR is a potential drug candidate with a multi-spectrum therapeutic application. However, the oral delivery of BBR is challenged owing to its poor bioavailability. Therefore, its oral bioavailability needs to be enhanced before it can be used in many clinical applications. This review provides an overview of the various studies that support the broad range of pharmacological activities of BBR. Also, it includes a section to address the issues and challenges related to the drug and methods to improve the properties of BBR, such as solubility, stability and bioavailability that may be explored to help patients reap the maximum benefit from this potentially useful drug., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The resurgence of scrutiny in plant-based medicine is mainly due to the current widespread belief that "green medicine" is safe and more dependable than the expensive synthetic drugs. The current study was focused to evaluate the anti-myocardial ischemic potential of Berberis orthobotrys Bien ex Aitch against chemically induced myocardial ischemia in animal models. Myocardial ischemia was instigated in Sprague Dawley rats of either sex (250-450g) by administration of Isoproterenol (ISO) and doxorubicin (DOX) at doses of 25mg/kg b.w and 15mg/kg b.w. respectively. The protective effect of the plant extract was explored by pretreating a group of animals with aqueous methanolic extract of Berberis orthobotrys roots at a dose of 50mg/kg b.w. (orally) for 10 days in ISO-ischemic model while for doxorubicin ischemic model; the study was conducted for 14 days. The findings of the study revealed that serum levels of cardiac marker enzymes were significantly increased (p<0.0001) followed by the administration of Isoproterenol and doxorubicin whereas the pretreatment with aqueous methanolic plant extract had significantly (p<0.0001) prevented the rise in the same, as compared to both intoxicated groups. The statistical analysis of the study led to the conclusion that Berberis orthobotrys possesses cardio protective potential against chemically induced myocardial ischemia.

Disturbances in the prooxidant-antioxidant balance can occur in metabolic syndrome. Here, we present a protocol for the setup of a clinical trial of metabolic syndrome patients treated with berberine, a dietary phytochemical of the Berberis vulgaris plant, or placebo. The main aim is to obtain a quick and real-time assessment on the overall redox state based on measurement of the prooxidant-antioxidant balance., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The plant Berberis aristata is traditionally used and scientifically validated for treating obesity and hyperlipidemia. It is also traditionally used to treat gynecological abnormalities. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Berberis aristata for obesity-related reproductive changes and chemically characterize it., Methods: High-fat diet was given to 36 female rats for six weeks to induce obesity and infertility. These obese rats were treated with 10 mg/kg orlistat or the plant extract at 125-500 mg/kg for 45 days., Results: The GC-MS analysis of the plant extract included fructose, thymic acid and other hydrocarbons. The plant extract revealed a remarkable free radical scavenging activity. The treated animals exhibited a decrease in total cholesterol and triglycerides (p<0.001), insulin and leptin levels (p<0.05), visceral fat, and body weight while increasing the estradiol level at 500 mg/kg dose of the plant extract as compared with untreated animals as demonstrated from the histology of the ovary. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione were significantly (p<0.01-0.001) ameliorated in treated rats., Conclusion: B. aristata exhibited substantial potential against obesity-inducedreproductive damage in female rats by reducing oxidative stress and resistance to leptin and insulin., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Owing to the shortage of specific medicines, the global pandemic of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been the greatest challenge for the science community. Researchers from all over the world developed some drugs which failed to completely suppress the contiguous disease. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), an important component in viral pathogenesis, is considered as a prospective drug target to stop SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since identification of phytochemicals with anti-Mpro activity has been carried out to develop the potential drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the present study was conducted to screen phytochemicals of Berberis asiatica for anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Through text mining, thirty phytochemicals were reported from B. asiatica, of which, three phytochemicals (Berbamine, Oxyacanthine, and Rutin) show high affinity with the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and exhibited favorable intermolecular interactions with the catalytic residues (His41 and Cys145) and other essential residues. The molecular dynamics simulation showed that Mpro-phytochemical complexes are more stable, less fluctuating, more compact, and moderately extended than the Mpro-X77 (Reference) complex. The number of H-bonds and MMPBSA results also demonstrates that Berbamine, Oxyacanthine, and Rutin are potent Mpro inhibitors having free energy of -20.79, -33.35, and -31.12 kcal mol -1 respectively. The toxicity risk prediction supports all phytochemicals for drug-like and non-toxic nature. From the result, we propose that binding of these phytochemicals could hamper the function of Mpro. This work suggests that selected phytochemicals could be used as novel anti-COVID-19 drug candidates, and might act as novel compounds for in vitro and in vivo study., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)