Monotherapy compounds, mechanisms

Using human hepatoma-derived cell lines Kong et al. [268] showed that berberine increased mRNA and protein as well as the function of hepatic linear low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). It does not stimulate the transcription of LDLR, as the LDLR promoter activity was not increased by this compound. Post-transcriptional regulation appears to be the main working mechanism underlying the effect of this alkaloid on LDLR expression. It was proposed that berberine can be used as a monotherapy to treat hypercholes-terolemic patients [268]. Very recently it was observed [269] that berberine reduces cholesterol and Upid accumulations in plasma as well as Uver. 

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