Identification of a novel and potent inhibitor of phospholipase A2 in a medicinal plant: Crystal structure at 1.93Â Ã and Surface Plasmon Resonance analysis of phospholipase A2 complexed with berberine

► Berberine, an alkaloid found in some medicinal plants inhibits phospholipase A2 enzyme. ► It binds to the active site of the enzyme and inhibits it competitively. ► The binding affinity is of the order of 10− 8 M between berberine and phospholipase A2.