title: Berberine and its derivatives: a patent review (2009 - 2012).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Berberine, a protoberberine alkaloid, and its derivatives exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine and current research evidences support its use for various therapeutic areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review covers the patents on therapeutic activities of berberine and its derivatives in the years between 2009 and 2012. An extensive search was done to collect the patent information using European Patent Office database and SciFinder. The therapeutic areas covered include cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases, cardiovascular, metabolic disorders, and miscellaneous areas such as polycystic ovary syndrome, allergic diseases, and so on.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Berberine along with its derivatives or in combination with other pharmaceutically active compounds or in the form of formulations has applications in various therapeutic areas such as cancer, inflammation, diabetes, depression, hypertension, and various infectious areas. Berberine has demonstrated wide physiological functions and has great potential to give a multipotent drug if some inherent problems on poor bioavailability and solubility are taken care of. Additionally, polyherbal formulations with berberine-containing plants as major ingredients can be successfully developed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Department of Natural Products, Sector-67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab, 160062, India. ipsingh@niper.ac.in
authors.forename: Inder Pal
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Shivani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahajan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001599:Berberine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010330:Patents as Topic; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D001599:Berberine