Journal Article

Huanglian-Wendan Decoction Inhibits NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Liver and Brain of Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress

Ding, Hong, Dong, Tie-Jun, Jia, Ke-Ke, Pan, Ying, Yu, Han-Wen, Kong, Ling-Dong

2018

Overview

Depression is a common mental disorder in modern society. A traditional Chinese medicine Huanglian-Wendan decoction with potential anti-inflammation is used as a clinical antidepressant. Our previous study showed central and peripheral inflammatory responses in a rat model of depression developed by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of Huanglian-Wendan decoction in CUMS rats. LC-MS/MS and HPLC were performed to determine the major compounds in water extract of this decoction. This study showed that Huanglian-Wendan decoction significantly increased sucrose consumption and reduced serum levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in CUMS rats. Moreover, this decoction inhibited nuclear entry of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) with the reduction of phosphorylated protein of NF-κB (p-NF-κB) and inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (p-IκBα) and downregulated protein of nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1), and IL-1β in liver and brain regions of CUMS rats. These findings demonstrated that Huanglian-Wendan decoction had antidepressant activity with hepatoprotection in CUMS rats coinciding with its anti-inflammation in both periphery and central. The inhibitory modulation of NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome activation by Huanglian-Wendan decoction may mediate its antidepressant action.

• Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation,Hindawi,John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Alanine / Alanine transaminase / Animals / Anti-inflammatory agents / Apoptosis / Blotting, Western / Brain / Brain - drug effects / Brain - metabolism / Caspase / Caspase-1 / Chromatography / Cytokines / Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology / High-performance liquid chromatography / IL-1β / Immunology / Inflammasomes / Inflammasomes - drug effects / Inflammasomes - metabolism / Inflammation / Interleukin 1 / Interleukin 6 / Interleukin-1beta - metabolism / Interleukin-6 - metabolism / Liver / Liver - drug effects / Liver - metabolism / Male / Medical screening / Mental depression / Metabolism / NF-kappa B - metabolism / NF-κB protein / NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein - metabolism / Physiology / Proteinase / Pyrin protein / Rats / Rodents / Serum levels / Sucrose / Traditional Chinese medicine / Tumor necrosis factor-TNF