THE ANTIPSORIATIC MAHONIA-AQUIFOLIUM AND ITS ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS .2. ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY AGAINST CELL-GROWTH OF HUMAN KERATINOCYTES

The extract of the bark of Mahonia aquifolium is an inhibitor of keratinocyte growth with an IC50 of 35 mu M. Of its main alkaloids tested, berberine inhibited cell growth to the same extent as did the Mahonia extract, while the benzylisoquinoline alkaloids berbamine and oxyacanthine were more potent inhibitors by a factor oft three.