Inhibitory effects of berberine on lipopolysaccharide-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase and the high-mobility group box 1 release in macrophages

► Berberine inhibits proinflammatory response to LPS in macrophage by HO-1. ► It is the first report that berberine inhibits HMGB1 releases in activated macrophage. ► Berberine increases the HO-1 level through p38 MAPK and Nrf2 in activated macrophage. ► Berberine may be useful as a therapeutic agent for treatment of inflammatory diseases.