Comparative effects of tetrandrine and berbamine on production of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor.

Tetrandrine and berbamine are bisbenzylisoquinoline compounds which differ from each other in a minor way in terms of chemical structure, yet tetrandrine is 6-18 times more potent than berbamine in terms of inhibitory effects on production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) by monocytes and macrophages, and TNF beta production by lymphocytes. Moreover, tetrandrine significantly suppressed phosphoinositide turnover while berbamine did not. These findings may provide important insights into structure-activity relationships and the design of novel analogues and congeners useful in the therapy of chronic inflammatory and auto-immune diseases.