Berberine alters the processing of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein to decrease Abeta secretion.
Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Coptidis rhizoma, a major herb widely used in Chinese herbal medicine. Berberine's biological activity includes antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. Recent findings show that berberine prevents neuronal damage due to ischemia or oxidative stress and that it might act as a novel cholesterol-lowering compound. The accumulation of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a triggering event leading to the pathological cascade of Alzheimer's disease (AD); therefore the inhibition of Abeta production should be a rational therapeutic strategy in the prevention and treatment of AD. Here, we report that berberine reduces Abeta levels by modulating APP processing in human neuroglioma H4 cells stably expressing Swedish-type of APP at the range of berberine concentration without cellular toxicity. Our results indicate that berberine would be a promising candidate for the treatment of AD.
Asai
Masashi
M
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 38 Moro-hongo, Iruma-gun, Saitama 350-0495, Japan. asai@saitama-med.ac.jp
Iwata
Nobuhisa
N
Yoshikawa
Ayumu
A
Aizaki
Yoshimi
Y
Ishiura
Shoichi
S
Saido
Takaomi C
TC
Maruyama
Kei
K
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001599:Berberine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D001599:Berberine