Role of berberine against arsenic induced oxidative damage in isolated rat liver mitochondria.

The aim of the present study was to assess the protective role of berberine against toxicity induced by arsenic in mitochondria from liver of rat. The level of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential changes were evaluated spectrofluorometrically. 20, 40 and 100 μM arsenic concentration increased ROS level approximately by 13.5, 21.3 and 29 %. However, when pretreated mitochondria with berberine (10, 25, 50 μM) were exposed to arsenic (20, 40 and 100 μM), ROS production diminished. Also, for all arsenic concentration mitochondrial membrane damage was detected to be 2.5, 4.8 and 7.26 % respectively. Pretreatment with berberine even at highest concentration (50μM) was not able to retain membrane potential as compared to control. These results showed that mitochondria were significantly affected when exposed to arsenic, forcedly directed toward excess ROS production and mitochondrial membrane disruption. Pretreatment with berberine, reduced ROS generation but did not restore mitochondrial membrane integrity.