Berberine, on the other hand, has been reported to cause cytotoxicity and adversely influence the synthesis of DNA. Sanguinarine is a toxin that kills animal cells through its action on the Na +-K +-ATPase transmembrane protein. Tyrosine or phenylalanine is common precursor for the biosynthesis of both. Berberine and Sanguinarine both are isoquinoline derivatives and belong to protoberberine and benzophenanthridines, respectively. Alkaloids are produced by a large number of organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral or weakly acidic properties.
Berberine and Sanguinarine alkaloids belong to a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that mostly contain basic nitrogen atoms.
