Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of Berberis vulgaris and its constituent berberine, experimental and clinical, a review.

Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris or barberry) is a medicinal plant that has been used for various purposes in traditional medicine. Berberine is one of the main alkaloids isolated from B. vulgaris and other plants. Both B. vulgaris and berberine have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects in different experimental models and clinical trials. This review aims to summarize the current evidence on the mechanisms and applications of B. vulgaris and berberine in modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune responses. The literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases until August 2023. The results indicated that B. vulgaris and berberine could inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin-17 (IL-17), and enhance the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), in various cell types and tissues. B. vulgaris and berberine can also scavenge free radicals, increase antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and reduce lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. B. vulgaris and berberine have been reported to exert beneficial effects in several inflammatory, oxidative, and immune-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, and infections. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the optimal doses, safety profiles, and potential interactions of B. vulgaris and berberine with other drugs or natural compounds.

Cryopreserved clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitors function in Parkinson's disease models.

AIM: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a rising prevalence. Human pluripotent stem cells have emerged as the most promising source of cells for midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neuron replacement in PD. This study aimed to generate transplantable mDA progenitors for treatment of PD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we optimized and fine-tuned a differentiation protocol using a combination of small molecules and growth factors to induce mDA progenitors to comply with good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines based on our clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line. KEY FINDINGS: The resulting mDA progenitors demonstrated robust differentiation and functional properties in vitro. Moreover, cryopreserved mDA progenitors were transplanted into 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, leading to functional recovery. SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrate that our optimized protocol using a clinical hESC line is suitable for generating clinical-grade mDA progenitors and provides the ground work for future translational applications.