This article systematically analyzed the historical evolution of the origin， scientific name， producing area， quality evaluation， harvesting and processing， and other aspects of Quisqualis Fructus by consulting the ancient materia medica， medical books， prescription books， local literature and combining with the modern literature and standards， summarized and explored the development rules of its medicinal properties and efficacy along with their underlying causes， in order to provide support for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. According to the textual research， Shijunzi was first recorded as Liuqiuzi in Nanfang Caomuzhuang of the Jin dynasty， and the name of Shijunzi was first used in Kaibao Bencao of the Song dynasty， which has been consistently used throughout subsequent dynasties， and there were also aliases such as Junziren， Sijunzi， and Dujilizi. The mainstream source of Quisqualis Fructus used in the past dynasties has been the dried mature fruits of Quisqualis indica， a plant belonging to the family Combretaceae. In modern times， its variety Q. indica var. villosa has also been recorded as the medicinal material of Quisqualis Fructus. In 2007， the Flora of China（English edition） designated Q. indica var. villosa as a synonym of Q. indica. Today， the accepted name of Shijunzi is updated to Combretum indicum. According to ancient herbal records， the producing areas of Quisqualis Fructus were Guangdong， Hong Kong， Macao， Guangxi， Hainan， Sichuan and Fujian， and then gradually expanded to Yunnan， Taiwan， Jiangxi and Guizhou. Since the Song dynasty， two major production regions have gradually emerged in Sichuan， Chongqing and Fujian. Currently， it is primarily cultivated in Chongqing， Guangxi and other areas， with Chongqing yielding the highest output. Since modern times， superior quality has been defined by large size， a purple-black surface， plump grains， and a yellowish-white kernel. According to ancient herbal records， the harvesting period of Quisqualis Fructus was the July and August of the lunar calendar， mostly used raw after shelling or with the shell intact， it underwent processing methods such as cleaning， slicing， mixing， steaming， roasting， stewing， and frying. Currently， the harvesting period is autumn， followed by sun-drying or low-heat drying， with processing methods including cleaning， stir-frying， and stewing. In ancient and modern literature， the records of the properties， functions and indications of Quisqualis Fructus are basically the same， that is， sweet in taste， warm in nature， predominantly non-toxic， belonging to the spleen and stomach meridians. It possesses effects of insecticide， decontamination and invigorating spleen for ascariasis， enterobiasis， abdominal pain due to worm accumulation and infantile malnutrition.The contraindications for use primarily include avoiding consumption by individuals without parasitic infestations， limiting use for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold， refraining from drinking hot tea during medication， and avoiding excessive intake. Based on the textual research， it is suggested that the dried mature fruits of Q. indica should be used as the medicinal material for the development of famous classical formulas containing Quisqualis Fructus. Processing methods may be chosen according to prescription requirements， and the raw products is recommended for medicinal use if not specified.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a pivotal molecule in innate immunity, has emerged as a keypoint in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of basic immunology and tumor biology. As a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor, cGAS is primarily characterized by its capacity to recognize double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the cytosol. Upon binding to dsDNA, cGAS undergoes a conformational change that promotes its dimerization and subsequent enzymatic activation. Once activated, it catalyzes the synthesis of the second messenger 2',3'-cGAMP from ATP and GTP. cGAMP then binds to the adaptor protein STING, which resides on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. The binding process triggers STING to traffic from the ER to the Golgi apparatus, where it is phosphorylated by the kinase TBK1. Phosphorylated STING serves as a docking site for the transcription factor IRF3, facilitating its phosphorylation by TBK1. Once phosphorylated, IRF3 forms dimers and translocates to the nucleus, where it drives the expression of type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines, initiating a potent antimicrobial state. The DNA-sensing mechanism of cGAS is inherently non-selective regarding the origin of its ligand. It readily detects exogenous DNA from invading pathogens, thereby playing an indispensable role in host defense against microbial infections. However, this same mechanism also enables cGAS to recognize self-DNA that leaks from the nucleus or mitochondria into the cytosol under various cellular stress conditions. While critical for immunity, the recognition of self-dsDNA by cGAS can disrupt cellular homeostasis and trigger aberrant inflammatory responses. The loss of self-tolerance can precipitate or exacerbate the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS), highlighting the dual role of cGAS as both a sentinel for infection and a potential driver of autoimmune pathology. Notably, the subcellular localization of cGAS is not still. Increasing recent researches have revealed that cGAS is also abundant within the nucleus, challenging the traditional view of it solely as a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor. Within the nucleus, cGAS exhibits non-canonical functions that are distinct from its canonical immunological role. First, cGAS exists in a state of stringent immunological silence in the nucleus, with mechanisms involving its competitive binding to histones and its post-translational modifications which block the activation of cGAS enzymatic activity, thus, effectively preventing it from mounting an autoimmune attack on genomic DNA. Second, cGAS plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability. Upon DNA damage, cGAS is rapidly recruited to the lesion site and participates in the DNA damage repair process. Moreover, under conditions of DNA replication stress, cGAS contributes to the stabilization of replication forks, preventing the cell from entering a state of uncontrolled hyper-replication. Consequently, in light of the dual role of cGAS in both immune regulation and tumor development, the development of small-molecule drugs targeting cGAS holds significant therapeutic promise. This review summarizes the structural characteristics of cGAS and its canonical function as a pattern recognition receptor in the cytosol, including the types of pathogens it recognizes and the autoimmune responses resulting from erroneous recognition of self-DNA. It then focuses on its emerging non-canonical functions within the nucleus, detailing its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, the mechanisms underlying its nuclear immune quiescence, and its role in mediating DNA damage repair and replication fork stabilization. Finally, the review discusses the progress and application prospects of small-molecule drugs targeting cGAS for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a pivotal molecule in innate immunity, has emerged as a keypoint in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of basic immunology and tumor biology. As a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor, cGAS is primarily characterized by its capacity to recognize double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the cytosol. Upon binding to dsDNA, cGAS undergoes a conformational change that promotes its dimerization and subsequent enzymatic activation. Once activated, it catalyzes the synthesis of the second messenger 2',3'-cGAMP from ATP and GTP. cGAMP then binds to the adaptor protein STING, which resides on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. The binding process triggers STING to traffic from the ER to the Golgi apparatus, where it is phosphorylated by the kinase TBK1. Phosphorylated STING serves as a docking site for the transcription factor IRF3, facilitating its phosphorylation by TBK1. Once phosphorylated, IRF3 forms dimers and translocates to the nucleus, where it drives the expression of type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines, initiating a potent antimicrobial state. The DNA-sensing mechanism of cGAS is inherently non-selective regarding the origin of its ligand. It readily detects exogenous DNA from invading pathogens, thereby playing an indispensable role in host defense against microbial infections. However, this same mechanism also enables cGAS to recognize self-DNA that leaks from the nucleus or mitochondria into the cytosol under various cellular stress conditions. While critical for immunity, the recognition of self-dsDNA by cGAS can disrupt cellular homeostasis and trigger aberrant inflammatory responses. The loss of self-tolerance can precipitate or exacerbate the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS), highlighting the dual role of cGAS as both a sentinel for infection and a potential driver of autoimmune pathology. Notably, the subcellular localization of cGAS is not still. Increasing recent researches have revealed that cGAS is also abundant within the nucleus, challenging the traditional view of it solely as a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor. Within the nucleus, cGAS exhibits non-canonical functions that are distinct from its canonical immunological role. First, cGAS exists in a state of stringent immunological silence in the nucleus, with mechanisms involving its competitive binding to histones and its post-translational modifications which block the activation of cGAS enzymatic activity, thus, effectively preventing it from mounting an autoimmune attack on genomic DNA. Second, cGAS plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability. Upon DNA damage, cGAS is rapidly recruited to the lesion site and participates in the DNA damage repair process. Moreover, under conditions of DNA replication stress, cGAS contributes to the stabilization of replication forks, preventing the cell from entering a state of uncontrolled hyper-replication. Consequently, in light of the dual role of cGAS in both immune regulation and tumor development, the development of small-molecule drugs targeting cGAS holds significant therapeutic promise. This review summarizes the structural characteristics of cGAS and its canonical function as a pattern recognition receptor in the cytosol, including the types of pathogens it recognizes and the autoimmune responses resulting from erroneous recognition of self-DNA. It then focuses on its emerging non-canonical functions within the nucleus, detailing its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, the mechanisms underlying its nuclear immune quiescence, and its role in mediating DNA damage repair and replication fork stabilization. Finally, the review discusses the progress and application prospects of small-molecule drugs targeting cGAS for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer.

This study identified 8 members including NjBIN2 of the GSK3 family in Nardostachys jatamansi by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree revealed that the GKS3 family members of N. jatamansi had a close relationship with those of Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR results showed that NjBIN2 presented a tissue-specific expression pattern with the highest expression in roots, suggesting that NjBIN2 played a role in root growth and development. In addition, the application of epibrassinolide or the brassinosteroid(BR) synthesis inhibitor(brassinazole) altered the expression pattern of NjBIN2 and influenced the photomorphogenesis(cotyledon opening) and root development of N. jatamansi, which provided direct evidence about the functions of NjBIN2. In conclusion, this study highlights the roles of BIN2 in regulating the growth and development of N. jatamansi by analyzing the expression pattern and biological function of NjBIN2. It not only enriches the understanding about the regulatory mechanism of the growth and development of N. jatamansi but also provides a theoretical basis and potential gene targets for molecular breeding of N. jatamansi with improved quality in the future.
Brassinosteroids/metabolism* ; Steroids, Heterocyclic/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Nardostachys/metabolism* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Roots/drug effects*

In this experiment, self-assembled nanoparticles(SANs) were prepared by the pH-driven method, and Her-HCP SAN was constructed by using herpetrione(Her) and Herpetospermum caudigerum polysaccharides(HCPs). The average particle size and polydispersity index(PDI) were used as evaluation indexes for process optimization, and the quality of the final formulation was evaluated in terms of particle size, PDI, Zeta potential, and microstructure. The proposed Her-HCP SAN showed a spheroid structure and uniform morphology, with an average particle size of(244.58±16.84) nm, a PDI of 0.147 1±0.014 8, and a Zeta potential of(-38.52±2.11) mV. Her-HCP SAN significantly increased the saturation solubility of Her by 2.69 times, with a cumulative release of 90.18% within eight hours. The results of in vivo unidirectional intestinal perfusion reveal that Her active pharmaceutical ingredient(API) is most effectively absorbed in the jejunum, where both K_a and P_(app) are significantly higher compared to the ileum(P<0.001). However, the addition of HCP leads to a significant reduction in the P_(app) of Her in the jejunum(P<0.05). Furthermore, the formation of the Her-HCP SAN results in a notably lower P_(app) in the jejunum compared to Her API alone(P<0.001), while both K_a and P_(app) in the ileum are significantly increased(P<0.001, P<0.05). The absorption of Her-HCP SAN at different concentrations in the ileum shows no significant differences, and the pH has no significant effect on the absorption of Her-HCP SAN in the ileum. The addition of the transporter protein inhibitors(indomethacin and rifampicin) significantly increases the absorption parameters K_a and P_(app) of Her-HCP SAN in the ileum(P<0.05,P<0.01), whereas the addition of verapamil has no significant effect on the intestinal absorption parameters of Her-HCP SAN, suggesting that Her may be a substrate for multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 and breast cancer resistance proteins but not a substrate of P-glycoprotein.
Nanoparticles/metabolism* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacokinetics* ; Intestinal Absorption/drug effects* ; Animals ; Rats ; Particle Size ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacokinetics* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Drug Compounding ; Cucurbitaceae/chemistry*

This study aims to reveal the effect and mechanism of Gentianella turkestanorum total extract(GTI) in ameliorating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH). UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to identify the chemical components in GTI. SwissTarget-Prediction, GeneCards, OMIM, and TTD were utilized to screen the targets of GTI components and NASH. The common targets shared by GTI components and NASH were filtered through the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 to identify core targets, followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. AutoDock was used for molecular docking of key components with core targets. A mouse model of NASH was established with a methionine-choline-deficient high-fat diet. A 4-week drug intervention was conducted, during which mouse weight was monitored, and the liver-to-brain ratio was measured at the end. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Sirius red staining, and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver tissue. The levels of various biomarkers, including aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), hydroxyproline(HYP), total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione(GSH), in the serum and liver tissue were determined. RT-qPCR was conducted to measure the mRNA levels of interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), collagen type I α1 chain(COL1A1), and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA). Western blotting was conducted to determine the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and potential drug targets identified through network pharmacology. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS identified 581 chemical components of GTI, and 534 targets of GTI and 1 157 targets of NASH were screened out. The topological analysis of the common targets shared by GTI and NASH identified core targets such as IL-1β, IL-6, protein kinase B(AKT), TNF, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma(PPARG). GO and KEGG analyses indicated that the ameliorating effect of GTI on NASH was related to inflammatory responses and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT pathway. The staining results demonstrated that GTI ameliorated hepatocyte vacuolation, swelling, ballooning, and lipid accumulation in NASH mice. Compared with the model group, high doses of GTI reduced the AST, ALT, HYP, TC, and TG levels(P<0.01) while increasing the HDL-C, SOD, and GSH levels(P<0.01). RT-qPCR results showed that GTI down-regulated the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COL1A1, and α-SMA(P<0.01). Western blot results indicated that GTI down-regulated the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K), phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT), phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha(p-IκBα), and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)(P<0.01). In summary, GTI ameliorates inflammation, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress associated with NASH by regulating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Molecular Docking Simulation

This study aims to explore the mechanism of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression based on metabolomics and network pharmacology. The chemical constituents of Jiaotai Pills were identified by UHPLC-Orbitrap Exploris 480, and the targets of Jiaotai Pills and depression were retrieved from online databases. STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2 were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network of core targets of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression and the "compound-target-pathway" network. DAVID was used for Gene Ontology(GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the core targets. The mouse model of depression was established with chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) and treated with different doses of Jiaotai Pills. The behavioral changes and pathological changes in the hippocampus were observed. UHPLC-Orbitrap Exploris 120 was used for metabolic profiling of the serum, from which the differential metabolites and related metabolic pathways were screened. A "metabolite-reaction-enzyme-gene" network was constructed for the integrated analysis of metabolomics and network pharmacology. A total of 34 chemical components of Jiaotai Pills were identified, and 143 core targets of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression were predicted, which were mainly involved in the arginine and proline, sphingolipid, and neurotrophin metabolism signaling pathways. The results of animal experiments showed that Jiaotai Pills alleviated the depression behaviors and pathological changes in the hippocampus of the mouse model of CUMS-induced depression. In addition, Jiaotai Pills reversed the levels of 32 metabolites involved in various pathways such as arginine and proline metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism in the serum of model mice. The integrated analysis showed that arginine and proline metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism might be the key pathways in the treatment of depression with Jiaotai Pills. In conclusion, metabolomics combined with network pharmacology clarifies the antidepressant mechanism of Jiaotai Pills, which may provide a basis for the clinical application of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Depression/genetics* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Metabolomics ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Antidepressive Agents

The study investigated the specific mechanism by which oxocrebanine, the anti-hepatic cancer active ingredient in Stephania hainanensis, inhibits the proliferation of hepatic cancer cells. Firstly, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay, 5-bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) labeling, and colony formation assay were employed to investigate whether oxocrebanine inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Hep3B2.1-7 cells. Propidium iodide(PI) staining was used to observe the oxocrebanine-induced apoptosis of HepG2 and Hep3B2.1-7 cells. Western blot was employed to verify whether apoptotic effector proteins, such as cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3(c-caspase-3), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1(PARP1), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), Bcl-2 homologous killer(Bak), and myeloid cell leukemia-1(Mcl-1) were involved in apoptosis. Secondly, HepG2 cells were simultaneously treated with oxocrebanine and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine(3-MA), and the changes in the autophagy marker LC3 and autophagy-related proteins [eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1(4EBP1), phosphorylated 4EBP1(p-4EBP1), 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase(P70S6K), and phosphorylated P70S6K(p-P70S6K)] were determined. The results of MTT assay, BrdU labeling, and colony formation assay showed that oxocrebanine inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Hep3B2.1-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The results of flow cytometry suggested that the apoptosis rate of HepG2 and Hep3B2.1-7 cells increased after treatment with oxocrebanine. Western blot results showed that the protein levels of c-caspase-3, Bax, and Bak were up-regulated and those of PARP1, Bcl-2, and Mcl-1 were down-regulated in the HepG2 cells treated with oxocrebanine. The results indicated that oxocrebanine induced apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of hepatic cancer cells. The inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation by oxocrebanine may be related to the induction of protective autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Oxocrebanine still promoted the conversion of LC3-Ⅰ to LC3-Ⅱ, reduced the phosphorylation levels of 4EBP1 and P70S6K, which can be reversed by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. It is prompted that oxocrebanine can inhibit the proliferation of hepatic cancer cells by inducing autophagy. In conclusion, oxocrebanine inhibits the proliferation of hepatic cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagy.
Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Hep G2 Cells ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; Caspase 3/genetics*

Based on the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(α7nAChR), this study examined how tetrahydropalmatine(THP) affected BV2 microglia exposed to lipopolysaccharide(LPS), aiming to clarify the possible mechanism underlying the anti-depression effect of THP from the perspectives of preventing inflammation and regulating polarization. First, after molecular docking and determination of the content of Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids, THP was initially identified as a possible anti-depression component. The BV2 microglia model of inflammation was established with LPS. BV2 microglia were allocated into a normal group, a model group, low-and high-dose(20 and 40 μmol·L~(-1), respectively) THP groups, and a THP(20 μmol·L~(-1))+α7nAChR-specific antagonist MLA(1 μmol·L~(-1)) group. The CCK-8 assay was used to screen the safe concentration of THP. A light microscope was used to examine the morphology of the cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression of α7nAChR. qRT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), cluster of differentiation 86(CD86), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3(SOCS3), arginase-1(Arg-1), cluster of differentiation 206(CD206), tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-6, and IL-1β. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the cell supernatant. The experimental results showed that THP at concentrations of 40 μmol·L~(-1) and below had no effect on BV2 microglia. THP improved the morphology of BV2 microglia, significantly up-regulated the protein level of α7nAChR, significantly down-regulated the mRNA levels of iNOS, CD86, SOCS3, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, significantly up-regulated the mRNA levels of Arg-1 and CD206, and dramatically lowered the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the cell supernatant. However, the antagonist MLA abolished the above-mentioned ameliorative effects of THP on LPS-treated BV2 microglia. As demonstrated by the aforementioned findings, THP protected LPS-treated BV2 microglia by regulating the M1/M2 polarization and preventing inflammation, which might be connected to the regulation of α7nAChR on BV2 microglia.
Berberine Alkaloids/chemistry* ; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/chemistry* ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Mice ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Corydalis/chemistry* ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation/drug therapy* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology*

This study aims to explore whether Albiziae Cortex-Tribuli Fructus can exert an anti-hepatic fibrosis effect by regulating the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)/cysteine protease-1(caspase-1) pathway and analyze its potential mechanism. In the in vivo experiment, a mouse model of hepatic fibrosis was established by subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride. The levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), collagen type Ⅳ(ColⅣ), laminin(LN), procollagen type Ⅲ(PCⅢ), and hyaluronic acid(HA) in the serum of mice were measured using a fully automated biochemical analyzer and ELISA. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) and Masson staining were used to observe inflammation and collagen fiber deposition in the liver tissue. Western blot and RT-qPCR were employed to detect the protein and mRNA expression of collagen type Ⅰ(collagen Ⅰ), α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), Nrf2, NLRP3, gasdermin D(GSDMD), and caspase-1 in the hepatic tissue. In the in vitro experiment, human hepatic stellate cells(HSC-LX2) were pretreated with Nrf2 agonist or inhibitor, followed by the addition of blank serum, AngⅡ + blank serum, and AngⅡ + Albiziae Cortex-Tribuli Fructus-containing serum for intervention. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Nrf2, NLRP3, GSDMD, caspase-1, α-SMA, GSDMD-N, and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC) in cells. DCFH-DA fluorescence probe was used to detect the cellular ROS levels. The results from the in vivo experiment showed that, compared with the model group, Albiziae Cortex-Tribuli Fructus significantly reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT, ColⅣ, LN, PCⅢ, and HA, reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells and collagen fiber deposition in the liver tissue, significantly upregulated the protein and mRNA expression of Nrf2 in the liver tissue, and significantly downregulated the protein and mRNA expression of collagen I, α-SMA, NLRP3, GSDMD, and caspase-1 in the liver tissue. The results from the in vitro experiment showed that Nrf2 activation decreased the protein expression of NLRP3, GSDMD, caspase-1, α-SMA, GSDMD-N, ASC, and ROS levels in HSC-LX2, while Nrf2 inhibition showed the opposite trend. Furthermore, Albiziae Cortex-Tribuli Fructus-containing serum directly decreased the expression of the above proteins and ROS levels. In conclusion, Albiziae Cortex-Tribuli Fructus can effectively improve hepatic fibrosis, and its mechanism of action may involve inhibiting pyroptosis through the regulation of the Nrf2/NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.
Animals ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Liver Cirrhosis/genetics* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Caspase 1/genetics* ; Male ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Humans ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Plant Extracts ; Tribulus