Objective To explore the possible therapeutic mechanism of Gastrodin Injection combined with ganglioside in the adjuvant treatment of spinal cord injury(SCI)based on NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods A total of 108 patients with SCI were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 54 cases in each group.Both groups were given routine rehabilitation training.Additionally,the control group was treated with intravenous drip of ganglioside,and the observation group was treated with intravenous drip of Gastrodin Injection combined with ganglioside.A course of treatment covered 30 days and the two groups were treated for 2 continuous courses.The time for the recovery of muscle strength,time to leave a sickbed for walking and time to stay in hospital for observation were compared between the two groups.The American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)score and the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),central nervous specific protein(S-100β),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18,NLRP3,cystein-containing aspartate specific protease 1(Caspase-1)and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC)in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)After two courses of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 83.33%(45/54),and that of the control group was 66.67%(36/54).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the curative effect of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the time for the recovery of muscle strength,time to leave a sickbed for walking and time to stay in hospital for observation in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group(P＜0.01).(3)After one and 2 courses of treatment,the ASIA scores of pain sense,motor sense and tactile sensation in the two groups were significantly higher than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the scores after 2 courses of treatment were higher than those after one course of treatment(P＜0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the increase of ASIA scores of pain sense,motor sense and tactile sensation in the observation group after one and 2 courses of treatment was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05).(4)After one and 2 courses of treatment,the serum BDNF level in the two groups was higher than that before treatment(P＜0.05)and the levels of NLRP3,ACS,Caspase-1 protein and serum IL-1β,IL-18 and S-100β were lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the changes in the levels of above indicators in the two groups after 2 courses of treatment were more obvious than those after one course of treatment(P＜0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the increase of serum BDNF level and the decrease of the levels of protein NLRP3,ACS,Caspase-1 and serum IL-1β,IL-18 and S-100β in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)During the treatment,no drug-related adverse reactions occurred in the two groups.Conclusion Gastrodin Injection combined with ganglioside exerts certain effect for the treatment of SCI patients.The combined therapy is effective on relieving the neuroinflammatory response and promoting the recovery of neurological function by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasomes,and its curative effect is superior to that of ganglioside alone.

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibition of berberine (BBR) against ECV-304 apoptosis induced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

METHODSECV-304 cells were pre-treated with 128 microg/mL BBR for 2 h and then S. aureus was added (1:100). The viability of cells was detected by MTT (3-4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The morphological changes were observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. The protection of BBR for infected cells was detected by DNA Ladder.

RESULTSECV-304 cells' viability were not obviously affected by berberine. But S. aureus induced ECV-304 cells' viability could be significantly inhibited by pre-treatment of BBR (P < 0.05). Besides S. aureus-induced ECV-304 apoptosis could be reduced, with significantly lessened apoptotic body and unobvious DNA degradation.

CONCLUSIONBBR could significantly inhibit S. aureus induced ECV-304 apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Berberine ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; microbiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Staphylococcus aureus