Roots and stem-bark of Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape) (Berberidaceae) are effectively used in the treatment of skin inflammatory conditions.In the present study, the effect of Mahonia aquifolium crude extract and its two representative alkaloid fractions containing protoberberine and bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBIQ) alkaloids on activity of 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX), was studied. The reactivity with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), a free stable radical, was evaluated to elucidate the rate of possible lipid-derived radical scavenging in the mechanism of the enzyme inhibition.The results indicate that although the direct radical scavenging mechanism cannot be ruled out in the lipoxygenase inhibition by Mahonia aquifolium and its constituents, other mechanisms based on specific interaction between enzyme and alkaloids could play the critical role in the lipoxygenase inhibition rather than non-specific reactivity with free radicals.

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Previous studies on the anticancer activity of protoberberine alkaloids against a variety of cancer cell lines were extended to human tumour HeLa and murine leukemia L1210 cell lines. An attempt was also made to investigate the relationship between the cytotoxic activity of berberine and its molecular mechanism of action. Cytotoxicity was measured in-vitro using a primary biochemical screening according to Oyama and Eagle, and the growth inhibition assay. The in-vitro cytotoxic techniques were complemented by cell cycle analysis and determination of apoptotic DNA fragmentation in L1210 cells. Berberine acted cytotoxically on both tumour cell lines. The sensitivity of leukemia L1210 cells to the berberine was higher than that of HeLa cells. The IC(100) was below 100 microg mL(-1) for HeLa cells and approached a 10 microg mL(-1) limit for the leukemia L1210 cells. For both cell lines the IC(50) was found to be less than 4 microg mL(-1), a limit put forward by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for classification of the compound as a potential anticancer drug. In L1210 cells treated with 10-50 microg mL(-1) berberine, G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest was observed. Furthermore, a concentration-dependent decrease of cells in S phase and increase in G(2)/M phase was detected. In addition, apoptosis detected as sub-G(0) cell population in cell cycle measurement was proved in 25-100 microg mL(-1) berberine-treated cells by monitoring the apoptotic DNA fragmentation (DNA ladder) using agarose gel electrophoresis.

Bioassay directed fractionation of crude extract from Mahonia aquifolium led to the isolation of fraction A (bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid complex, BBI) and a fraction of protoberberine alkaloids, where the major compounds berberine and jatrorrhizine were isolated as their iodides. The antifungal activity of the crude extract, two protoberberine alkaloids and BBI from M. aquifolium stem bark were evaluated against six strains of Malassezia spp. The compounds tested were generally found to possess only weak to moderate antifungal properties: the MICs for individual strains were in the range < or = 50-> or = 1000 mg/L.

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