A new Japanese study published in Oncology Letter suggests that berberine may be used as an adjuvant therapy to treat breast cancer because this dietary supplement can sensitize breast cancer cells and make chemotherapy more effective.Oncol Lett. 2013 Sep;6(3):840-844. Epub 2013 Jul 1.Berberine enhances tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-mediated apoptosis in breast cancer.Refaat A, Abdelhamed S, Yagita H, Inoue H, Yokoyama S, Hayakawa Y, Saiki I.Berberine has been used to prevent and or treat a number of health conditions including diabetes mellitus, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and congestive heart failure, cancers including breast cancer, leukemia, oral carcinoma, tongue carcinoma, hepatoma, melanoma, epidermoid carcinoma, glioblastoma, prostate cancer and gastric cancer.Berberine may also help protect against neurodegenerative disorders and help HIV patients. (DL)