Berbamine and berberine are found in the plant barberry. Early research suggests berbamine has anti-tumor properties and may reduce heart palpitations although few studies are available.
Benefits of berbamine
Heart rhythm problems
Comparison of the anti-arrhythmic effects of matrine and berbamine
with amiodarone and RP58866
Yao Xue Xue Bao. 2004.
To clarify mechanisms that the antiarrhythmic effects of matrine
and berbamine are weaker than those of amiodarone and RP58866.
The inhibitory actions of matrine and berbamine on IK1, IKr, IKs, Ito were
lower than those of amiodarone and RP58866, which might be the reason that
the antiarrhythmic effects of matrine and berbamine were weaker than those
of amiodarone and RP58866.
Against inflammation
A comparative study on the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and
antipyretic effects of isoquinoline alkaloids from the roots of Turkish Berberis
species.
Life Sci. 2002.
Roots and barks of various Berberis species are used as folk remedy for the
treatment of various inflammatory diseases such as lumbago, rheumatism and to
reduce fever. Six isoquinoline alkaloids namely berberine, berbamine, palmatine,
oxyacanthine, magnoflorine, and columbamine were isolated as the main components
of alkaloidal fraction from the roots of Turkish Berberis species and effects
were studied using various in vivo models in mice. All alkaloids inhibited
inflammations in varying degrees, among them berberine, berbamine and palmatine
were shown to possess significant and dose-dependent inhibitory activity against
serotonin-induced hind paw oedema both on oral and topical applications and
acetic acid-induced increase in vascular permeability on oral administration.
Moreover, these three alkaloids were also shown to possess dose-dependent
antinociceptive activity, which assessed by using the model based on the
inhibition of p-benzoquinone-induced writhing movements as well as antipyretic
activity on FCA-induced increased rectal temperature on subacute administration.
However, all alkaloids induced gastric lesions in varying degrees.
Colon cancer
Biocell. 2012. Mechanisms involved in the cytotoxic effects of berberine on
human colon cancer HCT-8 cells.
Leukemia
Study on effect of berbamine on multidrug resistance leukemia K562/Adr
cells
Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2004.
To study the effect and mechanism of berbamine on the apoptosis of
multidrug resistant leukemia K562/Adr cells and in reversing the drug
resistance. Berbamine could activate Caspase-3 to induce human
leukemia K562/Adr cell apoptosis, and by reducing mdr-1 gene expression to
reverse its multidrug resistance.
Liver cancer
Effect of O-4-ethoxyl-butyl-berbamine in combination with pegylated
liposomal doxorubicin on advanced hepatoma in mice.
World J Gastroenterol. 2004.
To study the synergistic effects of calmodulin antagonist
O-4-ethoxyl-butyl- berbamine (EBB) and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) on
hepatoma-22 (H(22)) in vivo. EBB and liposomization could improve
the therapeutic efficacy of Dox in liver cancer, while decreasing its liver
toxicity.
Effects of berbamine on intracellular calcium concentration in cultured
HeLa cells.
Zhongguo Yao Li Xue Bao. 1999.
The effects of Berbamine were similar to those of verapamil.
Lung cancer
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014. In vitro and in vivo antitumor evaluation
of berbamine for lung cancer treatment. Lung cancer, one of the most frequently
diagnosed cancers in the world, is characterized by relatively high morbidity
and mortality. Berbamine has been initially reported to exert anti-proliferative
effects against a series of cancers. In this study the in vitro cytotoxicity of
BER was measured by MTT assay. In vivo anti-cancer efficacy of BER was assessed
in A549 xenografts. Cytotoxicity tests showed dose-dependent cell growth
inhibition effects of BER against A549 cells. Moreover, BER significantly
reduced the growth of lung cancer in a dose-dependent manner in nude mice with
prolonged survival time.