ABSTRACT
Berberis vulgaris (barberry) is a member of the Berberidaceae family. It is a deciduous shrub that grows red berries and is cultivated in the Middle East, southern Europe, and the northeastern United States. Various important compounds are found in different parts of this plant. These chemicals include isoquinoline alkaloids, coumarin, vitamins, phenylpropanoid, carotenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrate, and flavonol. Berberine is one of the most important isoquinoline alkaloids in barberry. It is within the structural class of protoberberines. On account of their antioxidant, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties, B. vulgaris and berberine have attracted attention in herbal medicine and are used for the prevention and treatment of wide range of diseases. These include diseases involving the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, renal, and gastrointestinal systems, polycystic ovary syndrome, and Alzheimer disease. There is also significant interest in the use of B. vulgaris and berberine for the treatment of cancer. Despite various therapeutic approaches for treatment of cancer, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery (partial or total removal of a tumor), a cure for cancer remains elusive. Therefore, in addition to common therapeutic methods, plant-derived medicine has attracted a great deal of attention as a beneficial treatment for cancer. One of the most important plants in cancer studies is B. vulgaris and its natural phytochemicals. In this chapter, we aimed to investigate the role of B. vulgaris in cancer studies and shed light on the cancer-controlling mechanisms of B. vulgaris and its extracts.
