COX-2 and survivin reduction may play a role in berberine-induced apoptosis in human ductal breast epithelial tumor cell line.

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that has several pharmacological effects such as antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, apoptosis-inducing and anticancer effects. It has been illustrated that the antiinflammatory effect is mediated by suppressing the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) that activates expression of some antiinflammatory and antiapoptotic proteins including cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and survivin; therefore, berberine may induce apoptosis by reducing antiinflammatory and antiapoptotic agents, which suggest the relationship between antiinflammatory and apoptosis pathways. For further illustration of the mechanism of berberine action, the human ductal breast epithelial tumor cell line (T47D cell line) was treated with different concentrations of berberine (25-100 μM/ml).