The Potential Effect of Berberine on 5-Fluorouracil Induced Gastrointestinal Mucositis in Rats

Abstract

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), an antineoplastic agent, causes intestinal mucositis (IM) that limits the drug efficacy. The aim of this study was to reveal the protective and/or therapeutic effects of berberine (BER), an isoquinoline quaternary alkaloid, on IM induced by 5-FU in rats. Forty Wistar albino male rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control, 5-FU, 5-FU+BER75 (75 mg/kg/day), 5-FU+BER150 (150 mg/kg/day) and 5-FU+BER300 (300 mg/kg/day). 5-FU was intraperitoneally (i.p) injected at a dose of 60 mg/kg on alternate days for 4 days, while other groups were orally received BER daily for 7 days. By the end of study, intracardiac blood samples were collected and intestinal tissues were removed for histological examination. TNF-α, IL-6 and NF-κB levels were measured in serum using commercial ELISA kits. Results showed that BER at increasing doses ameliorated body weight loss and histopathological damage. It was concluded that BER may be effective in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of the damage in the gastrointestinal system caused by 5-FU in a dose-dependent manner.