Berberine in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Nanotechnology Enabled Targeted Delivery

Background: Berberine (BBR), an alkaloidal compound found in many plants, is widely used for hundreds of years in the traditional system of Chinese medicine. Objective/Aim: The present review is aimed to summarize the potential of Berberine in the amelioration of various neurological disorders. Methods: The collection of data for the compilation of this review work was searched in PubMed Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Of late, researchers are more focused on its beneficial role in neurodegenerative diseases. Results: BBR has proven its protective role in numerous neurotoxicity models including, oxygen-glucose deprivation, mercury-induced, neurodegenerative model by ibotenic acid, and hypoxia caused by COCl2. BBR treatment averts the generation of reactive oxygen species in the oxygen-glucose deprivation model. Further, it subdues cytochrome c along with the divulge of apoptosis-inducing factors that indicate its beneficial action in the management of stroke. BBR diminished hydrogen peroxide-induced neuronal damage by enhancing the PI3k / Akt / Nrf-2 based pathway and showed a preventive impact on neurites of SH-SY5Y cells by averting the formation of ROS and inhibiting apoptosis. The impact of BBR on neurological disorder using a transgenic AD type mouse strain (TgCRND8) showed a reduction in the piling up of amyloid-beta plaque. In mice, administration of BBR in the dose range of 5-10m/kg has been reported to raise the levels of serotonin (47%), dopamine (31%), and norepinephrine (29%) in CNS to allay depression. Conclusion: The present review is aimed to summarize the potential of Berberine in the amelioration of various neurological disorders.