Biological activity berberine alkaloids

In general, plants do very well in their environments, notwithstanding the omnipresence of a multitude of potential insect herbivores and a number of vertebrate herbivores as well. Some plant species are very insecticidal, as a consequence of their producing a variety of alkaloids including nicotine, piperine, lupine alkaloids, steroidal alkaloids, ephedrine, berberine, strychnine, gramine, and caffeine.37 These biologically active alkaloids also function as deterrents. In terms of families, caffeine is the the most widely distributed alkaloid, a fact that may be... 

Berberine is also obtained from Hydrastis canadensis (Berberidaceae), Coptis japonica (Ranunculaceae), and several other species [1]. Its chemical structure was clarified at the beginning of the twentieth century [2], and the alkaloid was synthesized by several routes [3]. Regarding the many biological activities of berberine, other than antimicrobial activity against Staphyb-coccus aureus, dysentery bacillus, cholera vibrio, and gonococcus organisms, hypertensive, sedative, anti-inflammatory [4], and cytotoxic [5,6] activities are reported. 

The pharmacological activity of berberine and protober-berine alkaloids has been reviewed (Schiff, 1987). Berberine has a wide range of interesting biological activities. Berber-... 

---