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Hu K, Zhang H, Shi G, Wang B, Wu D, Shao J, Wang T, Wang C. Effects of n-butanol extract of Pulsatilla decoction on the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages infected with Candida albicans. J Ethnopharmacol 2023; 304:116041. [PMID: 36539072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.116041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Pulsatilla decoction is a traditional Chinese medicine from Shang Han Lun that has been reported to have therapeutic efficacy in vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and is a growth inhibitor of Candida albicans (C. albicans) in vitro, the causative agent of VVC. AIM OF THE STUDY In previous studies, Pulsatilla decoction has shown therapeutic benefits for VVC. With further chemical extraction of the decoction, the n-butanol extract (of Pulsatilla decoction; BEPD) was most effective against C. albicans and therapeutic for VVC. The mechanism, however, has not been elucidated. The regulation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has recently been demonstrated as a critical component of the inflammasome complex that initiates the vaginal inflammatory response. Therefore, the effect of BEPD on NLRP3 associated with VVC was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used for detecting the principal compounds of BEPD (Anemoside B4, Esculin, esculetin, Epiberberine, Berberine, Jatrorrhizine and Phellodendrine). BEPD-containing serum is prepared by intragastric administration of BEPD (4.6875 g/kg for seven days) in rats. PMA-induced THP-1 cells were challenged with C. albicans. The expression of CD68 to identify macrophages was examined by flow cytometry, the viability of THP-1 cells were assessed by CCK8 assay, the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was detected by LDH kit, and the secretion levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were evaluated through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the levels of NLRP3 were quantified by immunofluorescence, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by ROS kit, and the expression of Dectin-1, Syk, TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and ASC proteins were detected by Western blot. RESULTS After administration of BEPD-containing serum, the levels of IL-1β, IL-18 and LDH released from macrophages were reduced in the BEPD-containing serum group compared to the model group. In addition, BEPD-containing serum inhibited the expression of ROS in macrophages, suppressed the expression of NLRP3 and inhibited the expression of TLRs/MyD88 and Dectin-1/Syk signaling pathway-related proteins. CONCLUSIONS BEPD suppressed the NLRP3 inflammasome and related signaling pathways in macrophages infected with C. albicans in vitro, thereby providing insight into the mechanism of BEPD action on VVC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifan Hu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Gaoxiang Shi
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Benfan Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Shao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China
| | - Tianming Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China.
| | - Changzhong Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, China.
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