Evaluation of cytotoxic effects of berberine-chloride in breast cancer cells and antimicrobial activity analysis

Abstract

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to analyse the anti-cancer activity of berberine-chloride in two different cancer cell lines (MCF-7 breast cancer cells and M4A4 metastatic breast cancer cells) and to investigate the antibacterial activity in five different standard bacterial strains. Material and Methods: In the study, the time-dependent inhibition by berberine chloride was investigated by applying MTT assay against two cell lines, which are MCF-7 breast cancer cells and M4A4 metastatic breast cancer cells. In addition, the anti-bacterial effect of berberine chloride was analysed by using six standard strains [Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis] with the broth microdilution and agar zone diffusion methods. Results: The concentration at which cell viability was 50% inhibited for MCF-7 cells after 72 hours of berberine chloride treatment was found to be 19.57 µM and 77.7 µM for M4A4 cells. Minimum inhibitory concentration values in broth microdilution test for S. aureus, MRSA, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis, was found to be 0.49 ?g/mL, 0.98 ?g/mL, 0.0038 ?g/mL 3.91 ?g/mL, 0.03 ?g/mL and 0.49 ?g/mL respectively. Zone inhibition values in agar well diffusion test was found as 30 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 17 mm, 33 mm and 20 mm for S. aureus, MRSA, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis, re-spectively. Conclusion: In the study, berberine-chloride anti-cancer effect on different cell lines and antibacterial activity against com-monly infectious bacteria has been shown in-vitro. © 2020 by Türkiye Klinikleri.