A Research of Berberine Hydrochloride to Prevent Colorectal Adenomas in Patients With Previous Colorectal Cancer

The prevalence of colorectal adenomas is high in our country, as is the incidence of colorectal cancer. It is well-known that colorectal adenomas are the precursor of colorectal cancer and that removing them will prevent colorectal cancer. Because most colorectal cancers arise from benign adenomas, adenomas have been used as surrogate end points in prevention trials. Berberine hydrochloride, which is an alkaloid extracted from Rhizoma coptidis, has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal infections, due to its antimicrobial properties. Previous clinical research and animal studies have demonstrated the anti-tumor action of Berberine hydrochloride. Persons with a history of colorectal cancer might constitute a group at higher risk for adenomas and thus be particularly suitable for a study of the chemopreventive effects of Berberine hydrochloride. Here, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was designed to determine whether the daily use of 300 mg of berberine hydrochloride could decreases the occurrence of new colorectal adenomas among patients with a history of colorectal cancer.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients aged 18-80 years
• Patients who had histologically documented colon or rectal cancer with a low risk of recurrent disease
• Patients with Dukes' stage A or B1 colon or rectal cancer (tumor-node-metastasis [TNM] stage T1 to T2, N0, M0) who had undergone curative resection of the primary tumor were immediately eligible for enrollment
• Patients with Dukes' stage B2 or C (T3 to T4, N0 to N1, M0) colon or rectal cancer who had undergone curative resection of the primary tumor were eligible if they had been free of disease for more than five years after curative surgery
• Eligible participants had to have undergone, after adequate preparation, colonoscopy to the cecum (or small-bowel anastomosis), with removal of all polyps, within four months before study entry
• Patients were eligible if they were in good general health, with an expected survival of at least five years; willing to provide and able to understand informed consent and to cooperate with the study procedures; not currently enrolled in a clinical trial of colon-cancer treatment or other chemoprevention trial; and not pregnant or nursing.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who are hypersensitive or intolerant to the drugs
• Patients had familial polyposis
• Patients had invasive cancer other than nonmelanoma skin cancer within 5 years before the intake appointment
• Patients with diabetes mellitus, severe renal disease or cardiovascular disease (defined by a New York Heart Association functional classof III or IV)
• Patients with hypercalcemia or urolithiasis
• Patients had a history of inflammatory bowel disease
• Patients with hemolytic anemia and glucose -6- phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
• Patients had received immunosuppressive therapy within the previous 6 months
• Patients had clinically obvious narcotic or alcohol dependence during the previous 6 months
• Patients had used NSAIDs including aspirin at any dose on 3 or more days per month during each of the 3 months before enrollment or for a period of 36 days in the previous year; or had a history of stroke, transient ischemic attacks, angina, myocardial infarction, or atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease
• Pregnant women, women during breast-feeding period, or women with expect pregnancy
• Patients with a history of subtotal gastrectomy or partial bowel resection
• Patients who are not able to cooperate
• Patients with any condition that could be worsened by supplemental Berberine hydrochloride