Berberine chloride hydrate (Natural Yellow 18 chloride hydrate) is an alkaloid with antibiotic properties, antitumor activity, and the ability to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibit DNA topoisomerase.

Berberine chloride hydrate ( 1.25-160 μM; 72 hours) has potential inhibitory effects on the proliferation of four colorectal carcinoma cell lines LoVo, HCT116, SW480, and HT-29. Berberine chloride hydrate (10-80 μM) suppresses cyclin B1, cdc2 and cdc25c protein expression after 24 h, especially at the dose of 80.0 μM. Berberine chloride hydrate (1.25-160 μM; 24-72 hours) induces a time- and dose-dependent inhibition of LoVo cell growth. LoVo cells are exposure to Berberine chloride hydrate (10-80 μM) for 24 h. Cell cycle analysis of 40 μM Berberine-treated LoVo cells by flow cytometry shows accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase[1].

Berberine chloride hydrate at doses of 30 and 50 mg/kg/day taken by gastrointestinal gavage shows inhibitory rates of 33.1% and 45.3% on the human colorectal adenocarcinoma xenograft growth in nude mice[1]. Berberine chloride hydrate (Natural Yellow 18 chloride hydrate; 10, 30, or 50 mg/kg/day; gastrointestinal gavage; for 10 consecutive days) inhibits the growth of human colorectal adenocarcinoma in vivo.