Experimental study of the antitrachoma action of berberine
Sabir, M.; Mahajan, V.M.; Mohapatra, L.N.; Bhide, N.K.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 64(8): 1160-1167
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 992845 Document Number: 109974
Berberine in a dose of 0.5 mg/egg protected 50-75% of chick embryos from the lethal effect of the trachoma organisms inoculated into the yolk sac. It also completely inhibited development of the elementary bodies on the yolk sac membrane. In control experiments, 1 mg/egg dose of sulfadiazine was equally effective. As little as 0.4 mg of berberine/egg did not reduce the mortality but considerably or completely inhibited the number of the elementary bodies; lower doses (0.2 and 0.06 mg/egg) were totally ineffective. In larger doses (0.6 and 1 mg), berberine itself killed the chick embryos. These results support the ancient Ayurvedic claims on the use of the plant Berberis aristata is eye diseases and the clinical report of Varma 1933 on the efficacy of berberine in trachoma.