Anti‐inflammatory potential of berberine‐rich extract via modulation of inflammation biomarkers

Berberine‐rich extract (BRE) prepared from Berberis lycium root bark using green extraction approach and its marker compound berberine has a broad spectrum of clinical applications. Berberine's potential pharmacological effects include anticancer, antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and anti‐inflammatory activities. In current work, BRE and berberine were evaluated for their therapeutic prospects in inflammation models. The comparative effect of BRE and berberine against inflammation was determined through in vitro chemiluminescence technique. The in vivo anti‐inflammatory evaluation of BRE and berberine (25, 75, and 125 mg/kg) compared to diclofenac (10 mg/kg) was performed in carrageenan and formaldehyde‐induced inflammation in Wistar rats. Histopathological and biochemical studies were conducted to find the comparative anti‐inflammatory potential of BRE and berberine on pathological hallmarks induced by formaldehyde. Moreover, the modulatory effects on inflammatory biomarkers were also investigated through qPCR. ELISA (enzyme‐linked immunoassay test assay) was performed to investigate the expression of pathological protein biomarkers like TNF‐α and IL‐6 and levels of antioxidant enzymes were estimated in liver homogenates. Both BRE and berberine markedly (p