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Meta-analysis of vitamin D, calcium and the prevention of breast cancer. Chen P, Hu P, Xie D, Qin Y, Wang F, Wang H. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19851861 These results provide strong evidence that vitamin D and calcium have a chemopreventive effect against breast cancer.

Mechanisms of berberine (natural yellow 18)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction: interaction with the adenine nucleotide translocator. Pereira CV, Machado NG, Oliveira PJ. Toxicol Sci. 2008 Oct;105(2):408-17. Epub 2008 Jul 3. PMID: 18599498 doi: 10.1124/jpet.107.128017 The data from the present work appear to show that berberine also presents some degree of toxicity to "nontumor" systems, which should be carefully understood. ANT inhibition in nontumor cells by berberine would be responsible for a decrease in energy production and could also result in MPT induction. To the best of our knowledge, no full toxicity assessment exists for berberine in humans, although its use in several commercially available supplements suggests that the compound may present a relatively wide safety interval. In fact, a study with patients with congestive heart failure treated with 1.2 g/day of oral berberine revealed low toxicity and resulted into an average plasma concentration of 0.11 mg/l which would translate into 0.3µM (Zeng and Zeng, 1999Go). Repeated cumulative treatments, alternative forms of formulation (e.g., topical application vs. injection) or more importantly, active mitochondrial accumulation due to its positive charge would be expected to increase its concentration in cells into the range of concentrations used in this study. Empirical data from nontraditional medicines plus the use of extensive clinical assays would allow the use of berberine as a promising antimelanoma agent while maintaining its safety for humans. In radial/vertical forms of melanoma, a possible topical application of berberine would also be possible, thus minimizing side effects on other organs. In conclusion, the present work identifies the ANT as an important target for berberine, with clear relevance for its proposed antitumor effects.

Berberine inhibits growth, induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells by regulating Cdki-Cdk-cyclin cascade, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP. Mantena SK, Sharma SD, Katiyar SK. Carcinogenesis. 2006 Oct;27(10):2018-27. Epub 2006 Apr 18. PMID: 16621886 doi:10.1093/carcin/bgl043 In the present investigation, we show that berberine, which is present abundantly in Berberis plant species, significantly inhibits the viability, proliferation and induces cell death in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells (Figure 1), but this effect was not found in normal human epidermal keratinocytes under the identical conditions, except for a non-significant reduction in cell viability at higher concentrations of berberine (50 and 75 µM) and treatment of cells for a longer period of time (72 h). These data suggested that berberine may be examined as an effective chemotherapeutic agent against non-melanoma skin cancers. In conclusion, our study indicates that berberine inhibits growth, induces G1 arrest and apoptotic cell death of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. We also provide mechanistic evidences that berberine-induced apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma cells is mediated through disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspase 3 pathway, although other pathways may have a role and that require further investigation. Moreover, further in vivo studies are required to determine whether berberine could be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the prevention of non-melanoma skin cancers.

Berberine and Coptidis rhizoma as novel antineoplastic agents: a review of traditional use and biomedical investigations. Tang J, Feng Y, Tsao S, Wang N, Curtain R, Wang Y. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Oct 29;126(1):5-17. Epub 2009 Aug 15. PMID: 19686830 doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.08.009 Conclusions The modern evidences of treating cancer with Huanglian and berberine have a strong linkage with traditional concept and rules of using Huanglian in CM practice. As anticancer candidates with low toxicity, berberine and its altered structure, as well as Huanglian and its formulae, will attract scientists to pursue the potential anticancer effects and the mechanisms by using technologies of genomics, proteomics and other advanced approaches. On the other hand, relatively few in vivo studies have been conducted on anticancer effects of Huanglian and berberine. The clinical application of berberine or Huanglian as novel cancer therapeutic agents requires in vivo validations and further investigations of their anticancer mechanisms.

A systematic review of the anticancer properties of berberine, a natural product from Chinese herbs. Sun Y, Xun K, Wang Y, Chen X. Anticancer Drugs. 2009 Oct;20(9):757-69. PMID: 19704371

Berberine inhibits metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells by targeting Rho kinase-mediated Ezrin phosphorylation at threonine 567. Tang F, Wang D, Duan C, Huang D, Wu Y, Chen Y, Wang W, Xie C, Meng J, Wang L, Wu B, Liu S, Tian D, Zhu F, He Z, Deng F, Cao Y. J Biol Chem. 2009 Oct 2;284(40):27456-66. Epub 2009 Aug 3. PMID: 19651779

Like many women with an advanced form of the disease, Lange says she feels alienated from the larger breast cancer community, and out-of-place at the countless events held each October for breast cancer Awareness Month.

A systematic review of the anticancer properties of berberine, a natural product from Chinese herbs. Sun Y, Xun K, Wang Y, Chen X. Anticancer Drugs. 2009 Oct;20(9):757-69. PMID: 19704371