Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Mol Carcinog. 2014 May 17;54(10):1096–1109. doi: 10.1002/mc.22179

Figure 7. Mechanisms of berberine in suppressing colon cancer.

Figure 7

Berberine activated AMPK negatively regulates the mTOR signal pathway, resulting in inhibition of colon cancer proliferation and growth. Activated AMPK negatively regulates COX-2 in colon cancer. Activation of AMPK also induces phosphorylation of p53 which is a tumor suppressor. Inhibition of tumorigenesis by berberine is partially dependent on inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. This NF-κB suppression results in inhibiting transcription of NF-κB targets CyclinD1 and Survivin and stimulating the cleavage of caspase-3, modulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. Interactions leading to activation of molecular targets are indicated by arrows; those that inhibited are indicated by a bar. Berberine modulation of both pathways leads to inhibition of tumor multiplicity and tumor growth.