Neurourology Transforms the Drug Development Experience

Article information

Int Neurourol J. 2014;18(3):105-105

Publication date (electronic) : 2014 September 24

doi : https://doi.org/10.5213/inj.2014.18.3.105

Department of Urology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.

Corresponding author: Department of Urology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. kimcho99@gilhospital.com

Continuous efforts are being made to develop new drugs or dietary supplements from natural products. These efforts are important in improving the outcomes of many intractable diseases.

In an article published in this issue of the International Neurourology Journal, the antiapoptotic effect of berberine against ischemic brain injury in gerbils has been reported [1]. The authors suggest that this antiapoptotic effect might be mediated through the inhibition of reactive astrogliosis and microglia activation.

Berberine is a type of isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from the root of Coptis japonica, the bark of Phellodendron amurense, and the root of Berberis vulgaris. Currently, the major clinical indications of berberine include bacterial diarrhea, intestinal parasite infections, and ocular trachoma infections. The diverse effects of berberine on tumors, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular deregulation, immunology disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases have been studied [2,3,4,5].

Berberine has been shown to suppress the growth of bladder cancer and has been proposed as a novel chemotherapeutic agent [6]. Pretreatment with berberine elicited a protective effect against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in human renal proximal tubular cells [7]. Berberine was suggested as a possible agent to improve neurogenic bladder in diabetic rats as well [8].

The effects of berberine on urological disorders have also been reported. Functional studies on the diverse mechanisms of berberine will be helpful for the treatment of stroke-associated neurourological diseases.

References

1. Kim M, Shin MS, Lee JM, Cho HS, Kim CJ, Kim YJ, et al. Inhibitory effects of isoquinoline alkaloids on ischemia-induced apoptosis via activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway. Int Neurourol J 2014;18:115–125.

2. Bhutada P, Mundhada Y, Bansod K, Tawari S, Patil S, Dixit P, et al. Protection of cholinergic and antioxidant system contributes to the effect of berberine ameliorating memory dysfunction in rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Behav Brain Res 2011;220:30–41. 21262264.

3. Imanshahidi M, Hosseinzadeh H. Pharmacological and therapeutic effects of Berberis vulgaris and its active constituent, berberine. Phytother Res 2008;22:999–1012. 18618524.

4. Wang F, Zhao G, Cheng L, Zhou HY, Fu LY, Yao WX. Effects of berberine on potassium currents in acutely isolated CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampus. Brain Res 2004;999:91–97. 14746925.

5. Yoo KY, Hwang IK, Lim BO, Kang TC, Kim DW, Kim SM, et al. Berberry extract reduces neuronal damage and N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 immunoreactivity in the gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia. Biol Pharm Bull 2006;29:623–628. 16595891.

6. Yan K, Zhang C, Feng J, Hou L, Yan L, Zhou Z, et al. Induction of G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by berberine in bladder cancer cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2011;661:1–7. 21545798.

7. Yu W, Sheng M, Xu R, Yu J, Cui K, Tong J, et al. Berberine protects human renal proximal tubular cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation injury via inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress pathways. J Transl Med 2013;11:24. 23360542.

8. Ren LM, Zhuo YJ, Hao ZS, He HM, Lu HG, Zhao D. Berberine improves neurogenic contractile response of bladder detrusor muscle in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2013;150:1128–1136. 24184080.

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