1.Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasomes to Ameliorate Cognitive Impairment in Epilepsy
Xingdan ZHU ; Yinhua KAI ; Rong TIAN ; Xin YANG ; Jiayi HE ; Xiangxin GUO ; Yadong MU ; Cui JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(14):308-316
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism through which Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang ameliorates cognitive impairment in epileptic rats induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine by regulating the neuroinflammatory reaction mediated by NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly allocated into blank, model, carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1), Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1), and carbamazepine (0.125 g·kg-1·d-1) + Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang (1.04 g·kg-1·d-1) groups (n=12). After the modeling of epilepsy, rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 12 weeks. At the 6th and 12th week of the intervention, the rats’ hyper-excited behavior was evaluated by the stylus experiment, and at the 12th week of intervention, the cognitive function was evaluated by Barnes maze. At the same time, the seizure frequency and severity grade (Racine score) were recorded. The serum and hippocampus tissue samples were collected after anesthesia for the following tests. Nissl staining was used to evaluate the degree of neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 area. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hippocampus was determined by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemical method was adopted to detect the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a card (ASC) in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze the protein levels of NLRP3, cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. ResultsThe model group showed increased stylus scores at the 6th and 12th week after modeling, a decreased Barnes maze strategy score at the 12th week, a prolonged incubation period (P<0.05), elevated serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), decreased neurons with scattered arrangement and large gaps in the hippocampus, increased content of MDA in the hippocampus (P<0.05), an increased positive expression of ASC, and up-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the intervention with Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang for 12 weeks was accompanied by a decreased stylus score, epileptic seizures with a decreased score, a decreased number, and shortened duration, an increased Barnes maze strategy score, shortened escape latency (P<0.01), declined serum levels of inflammatory factors (P<0.05), regular morphology of hippocampal neurons, reduced MDA content in the hippocampus (P<0.05), a decreased positive expression of ASC, and down-regulated protein levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and BDNF (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, compared with the carbamazepine group, Banxia Baizhu Tianmatang + carbamazepine showed improved performance in controlling the seizure, improved the cognitive behavior score and morphology of hippocampal neurons, alleviated the oxidative stress products, lowered the levels of inflammatory factors, reduced the positive expression of ASC in the hippocampus, and down-regulated the expression of Caspase-1, NLRP3 and BDNF, with no significant differences. ConclusionBanxia Baizhu Tianmatang may reduce neuroinflammation, control epileptic seizures, and ameliorate cognitive impairment by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
2.The relationship between uric acid urolithiasis and dyslipidemia
Cheng CAO ; Bo FAN ; Dongrong YANG ; Jin ZHU ; Qi DING ; Xingdan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Urology 2020;41(4):303-308
Objective:To evaluate the relationship between dyslipidemia and uric acid urolithiasis, and explore the risk factors of uric acid urolithiasis.Methods:93 patients with uric acid urolithiasis identified by stone composition analysis were retrospective analyzed from January 2014 to October 2019 were classified as uric acid urolithiasis group.Among them there were 77 men accounting for 82.8%, 16 women accounting for 17.2%, the median age is 64 years old.According to sex, age and other conditions, 321 patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis in the same period were selected as calcium oxalate stone group. Among them there were 264 men accounting for 82.2%, 57 women accounting for 17.8%, the average age is 64 years old.While 306 non-stone people examined in hospital as control group in the same period who matched with age and gender. Among them there were 252 men accounting for 82.4%, 54 women accounting for 17.6%, the average age is 61 years old. There was no significant difference in age and sex ratio among the three groups. The body mass index (BMI) of uric acid urolithiasis group, calcium oxalate urolithiasis group and control group were significantly different( P<0.01). Serum uric acid, urine pH and blood lipids: triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) were recorded in the three groups, and the correlation between the above indexes and stone composition was analyzed.The uric acid urolithiasis group was divided into hyperuricemia(HUA) group (n=41) and Non HUA group (n=52) according to serum uric acid, and 66 cases with HUA were selected in the control group. The dyslipidemia and urine pH levels of the above three groups were compared. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors associated with uric acid urolithiasis formation. Results:There were significant differences in TG level, incidence of hypertrigly-ceridemia, low HDL-cholesterolemia, high LDL-cholesterolemia, serum uric acid and urine pH between uric acid urolithiasis group and calcium oxalate urolithiasis group( P<0.05). Significant differences were seen in TG level, HDL-C level, incidence of hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-cholesterolemia, serum uric acid and urine pH between uric acid urolithiasis group and control group.There was significant difference in urine pH between uric acid urolithiasis with and Non HUA group. Significant difference in the incidence of hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-cholesterolemia were seen between uric acid urolithiasis with HUA group and HUA group.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that obesity(odds ratio=1.68, P<0.001), hypertriglyceridemia(odds ratio=7.37, P=0.002), low HDL-cholesterolemia(odds ratio=10.46, P=0.001) and low urinary pH(odds ratio=0.10, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for uric acid urolithiasis. Conclusions:Dyslipidemia was more likely associated with uric acid urolithiasis. Obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterolemia and low urinary pH are closely related to the occurrence of uric acid urolithiasis.

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