Abstract:
Berberine is a quaternary plant alkaloid which has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including diarrhea from protozoal, fungal and bacterial infections. Published accounts of clinical trials in India using the natural product to treat nearly 900 patients indicate that berberine is safe and effective against many GI pathogens. We believe this compound to be an excellent candidate for the treatment of the chronic diarrhea which often afflicts AIDS patients. Because berberine has broad spectrum antimicrobial, antisecretory, and antimotility properties and can be concentrated in the gut, it may be useful in combating the chronic gastrointestinal infections which are self-limiting in normal individuals. We are currently investigating the antimicrobial profile of berberine against a variety of protozoal pathogens. IC(50) values for berberine against Trichomonas vaginalis and Giardia lamblia were 170 and 350 micrograms/ml, respectively. Berberine inhibited growth of Entamoeba histolytica by 25% at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. Few antimicrobial agents are suitable for treatment of the chronic enteral infections experienced by AIDS patients. Systemic absorption causes these drugs to have side effects when taken for longer than a few weeks. Although berberine may not be as potent in vitro as therapeutics like metronidazole or albendazole, it has few side effects and thus may be used to not only to treat the primary infection but also in a maintenance or prophylactic regimen. Currently, no drug is completely effective against microsporidia and cryptosporidia, the intracellular protozoa whose presence in the GI tract often correlates with AIDS related diarrhea. Further in vitro testing of berberine against these organisms and clinical evaluation for the AIDS related indication is warranted.
Keywords: *Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS *Berberine/THERAPEUTIC USE *Diarrhea/DRUG THERAPY 980430
M9841177
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