Berberine induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in liver cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Novia K.Y. Yip
    • W. S. Ho
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 19, 2013     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2013.2543
  • Pages: 1107-1112
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Current chemotherapeutic strategies for liver cancer have limitations. Thus, the demand for complementary medicine is warranted. We evaluated the antitumor potential of berberine, a naturally bioactive phytochemical from Coptis chinensis Franch against Huh7 cancer cells and WRL68 liver cells. The antitumor activity of berberine was evaluated by flow cytometry. The caspase-dependent pathway was assessed using western blot analysis. Results showed that berberine induced the apoptosis of liver cancer cells through procaspase-9, and its effector caspases, procaspase-3 and procaspase-7. Flow cytometry revealed that berberine caused cell cycle arrest at the M/G1 phase. The results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed that berberine increased the expression of Bax, which resulted in the activation of the caspase cascade. The present findings demonstrated that berberine induces the apoptosis of Huh7 cells via the mitochondrial pathway.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

September 2013
Volume 30 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Yip NK and Ho WS: Berberine induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in liver cancer cells. Oncol Rep 30: 1107-1112, 2013.
APA
Yip, N.K., & Ho, W.S. (2013). Berberine induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in liver cancer cells. Oncology Reports, 30, 1107-1112. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2013.2543
MLA
Yip, N. K., Ho, W. S."Berberine induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in liver cancer cells". Oncology Reports 30.3 (2013): 1107-1112.
Chicago
Yip, N. K., Ho, W. S."Berberine induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in liver cancer cells". Oncology Reports 30, no. 3 (2013): 1107-1112. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2013.2543