Letter to the editor

Therapeutic potential of berberine in cancer treatment: Current update

Safwan Hazaa¹, Yachana Mishra²[*], Vijay Mishra¹

EXCLI J 2026;25:Doc991



Berberine (BBR) is a benzyl tetra isoquinoline alkaloid bioactive agent (Supplementary Figure 1excli2026-9530_supplementary_information.pdf), specifically 2,3-methylenedioxy-9,10-dimethoxy protoberberine chloride (C₂₀H₁₈NO₄), with a calculated molecular weight of 336.36 g/mol. This compound is well-documented as a phytochemical constituent extracted and isolated from diverse botanical sources, such as Coptis rhizomes, Pellodendron chenins, and Berberis vulgaris (Rauf et al., 2021[2]). BBR exhibits noteworthy pharmacological activity against various diseases, inclusive of highly antidiabetic effects (Liang et al., 2019[1]), anti-inflammatory properties, anti-tumor activity, regulation of blood lipid and glucose levels, as well as potential roles in treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (Zhang et al., 2021[3]). Moreover, numerous studies have investigated the effects of berberine on various cancers, elucidating its underlying mechanisms of action. These investigations have led to a substantial body of literature encompassing diverse anticancer effects. Therefore, this letter aims to comprehensively address the therapeutic potential of berberine in the treatment of different types of cancer (Supplementary Table 1excli2026-9530_supplementary_information.pdf).

Declaration

Funding

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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References