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Background: HBV infection can result in severe liver diseases and is one of the primary causes of liver cell carcinoma-related mortality. Liuwei Wuling tablet (LWWL) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula, with a protecting liver and decreasing enzyme activity, usually used to treat chronic hepatitis B with NAs in clinic. However, its main active ingredients and mechanism of action have not been fully investigated. Hence, we aimed to screen the active ingredient and effective ingredient combinations from Liuwei Wuling tablet to explore the anti-herpatitis B virus activity and mechanism. Methods: Analysis and screening of effective antiviral components in LWWL by network pharmacology, luteolin (Lut) may be a compound with significant antiviral activity. The mechanism of antiviral action of Lut was also found by real-time PCR detection and western blotting. Meanwhile, we established a co-culture model to investigate the antiviral mechanism of Schisandrin C (SC), one of the main active components of Schisandra chinensis fructus (the sovereign drug of LWWL). Next, HBV-infected mice were established by tail vein injection of pAAV-HBV1.2 plasmid and administered continuously for 20 days. And their antiviral capacity was evaluated by checking serum levels of HBsAg, HBeAg, levels of HBV DNA, and liver levels of HBcAg. Results: In this study, we conducted network pharmacology analysis on LWWL, and through in vitro experimental validation and data analysis, we found that luteolin (Lut) possessed obviously anti-HBV activity, inhibiting HBV replication by downregulating hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) via the ERK pathway. Additionally, we established a co-culture system and proved that SC promoted activation of cGAS-STINIG pathway and IFN-β production in THP-1 cells to inhibit HBV replication in HepG2.2.15 cells. Moreover, we found the combination of SC and Lut shows a greater effect in inhibiting HBV compared to SC or Lut alone in HBV-infected mice. Conclusion: Taken together, our study suggests that combination of SC and Lut may be potential candidate drug for the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diverse inflammation-related diseases, and pharmacological molecules targeting NLRP3 inflammasome are of considerable value to identifying potential therapeutic interventions. Cardamonin (CDN), the major active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Alpinia katsumadai , has exerted an excellent anti-inflammatory activity, but the mechanism underlying this role is not fully understood. Here, we show that CDN blocks canonical and noncanonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation triggered by multiple stimuli. Moreover, the suppression of CDN on inflammasome activation is specific to NLRP3, not to NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasome. Besides, the inhibitory effect is not dependent on the expression of NF- κ B-mediated inflammasome precursor proteins. We also demonstrate that CDN suppresses the NLRP3 inflammasome through blocking ASC oligomerization and speckle formation in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, CDN improves the survival of mice suffering from lethal septic shock and attenuates IL-1 β production induced by LPS in vivo , which is shown to be NLRP3 dependent. In conclusion, our results identify CDN as a broad-spectrum and specific inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome and a candidate therapeutic drug for treating NLRP3 inflammasome-driven diseases. Cardamonin is a broad-spectrum inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome triggered by multiple stimuli. Moreover, the suppression of cardamonin on inflammasome activation is specific to NLRP3, not to NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasome. Importantly, cardamonin improves the survival of mice suffering from LPS-induced lethal endotoxic shock, which is shown to be NLRP3 dependent. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cryptotanshinone (CTS) is a specific inhibitor for NLRP3 inflammasome. • CTS blocks Ca2+ signaling and the induction of mtROS, the important upstream signalings of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. • CTS exhibits protective effect in inflammasome-mediated diseases such as endotoxemia syndrome and MCD-diet-induced NASH. NLRP3 inflammasome activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of inflammatory diseases, but medications targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome are not available for clinical use. Here, we demonstrate that cryptotanshinone (CTS), a major component derived from the traditional medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, is a specific inhibitor for the NLRP3 inflammasome. Cryptotanshinone inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages, but has no effects on AIM2 or NLRC4 inflammasome activation. Mechanistically, cryptotanshinone blocks Ca2+ signaling and the induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which are important upstream signals of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In vivo , cryptotanshinone attenuates caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion in mouse models of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated diseases such as endotoxemia syndrome and methionine- and choline-deficient-diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Our findings suggest that cryptotanshinone may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liuweiwuling Tablet (LWWL) is a patented Chinese medicine approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). Clinically, it is used to treat a range of liver diseases that precede hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including hepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. LWWL is hypothesized to inhibit the inflammatory transformation of HCC, which may have a positive impact on the prevention and treatment of HCC. However, its exact mechanism of action remains unknown. To investigate how LWWL is effective in the treatment of HCC and to validate the pathways involved in this process. An in vivo model of HCC induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was established to study the effect of LWWL on the development of HCC. The rat serum was analyzed for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT). The rat liver tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson's trichrome for pathological analysis. Rat liver tissue was subjected to transcriptome sequencing. Expression of inflammatory and liver fibrosis-related factors in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and LX-2 cells was detected by QRT-PCR, ELISA and Western blot (WB). The expression of apoptosis and stemness genes in HepG2 and Huh7 cells was assessed through flow cytometry and QRT-PCR. Transcriptomics, network pharmacology, WB, and QRT-PCR were employed to validate the mechanisms associated with the amelioration of HCC development by LWWL. LWWL significantly reduced the severity of hepatitis and liver fibrosis, the expression of tumor stemness genes, and the incidence of HCC. In addition, LWWL inhibited the release of inflammatory substances and nuclear accumulation of P65 protein in BMDMs as well as the conversion of LX-2 cells to fibroblasts. LWWL inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh7 cells, including the initiation of apoptosis and the reduction of stemness gene expression. Importantly, LWWL regulates the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway, which affects hepatic inflammation and cancer progression. LWWL inhibited the occurrence and development of HCC by modulating the severity of hepatitis and liver fibrosis, indicating the potential clinical relevance of LWWL in preventing and treating HCC. [Display omitted] • Potential efficacy of LWWL in chemically related hepatocellular carcinoma. • LWWL inhibits the development of the hepatitis-fibrosis-HCC axis. • A key mechanism of LWWL is the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keguan-1, a new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription contained seven Chinese herbs, is developed to treat coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The first internationally registered COVID-19 randomised clinical trial on integrated therapy demonstrated that Keguan-1 significantly reduced the incidence of ARDS and inhibited the severe progression of COVID-19. To investigate the protective mechanism of Keguan-1 on ARDS, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) model was used to simulate the pathological state of ARDS in patients with COVID-19, focusing on its effect and mechanism on ALI. Mice were challenged with LPS (2 mg/kg) by intratracheal instillation (i.t.) and were orally administered Keguan-1 (low dose, 1.25 g/kg; medium dose, 2.5 g/kg; high dose, 5 g/kg) after 2 h. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected 6 h and 24 h after i.t. administration of LPS. The levels of inflammatory factors tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC or mCXCL1), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP2 or mCXCL2), angiotensin II (Ang II), and endothelial cell junction-associated proteins were analysed using ELISA or western blotting. Keguan-1 improved the survival rate, respiratory condition, and pathological lung injury; decreased the production of proinflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, KC, and MIP2) in BALF and the number of neutrophils in the lung tissues; and ameliorated inflammatory injury in the lung tissues of the mice with LPS-induced ALI. Keguan-1 also reduced the expression of Ang II and the adhesion molecule ICAM-1; increased tight junction proteins (JAM-1 and claudin-5) and VE-cadherin expression; and alleviated pulmonary vascular endothelial injury in LPS-induced ALI. These results demonstrate that Keguan-1 can improve LPS-induced ALI by reducing inflammation and pulmonary vascular endothelial injury, providing scientific support for the clinical treatment of patients with COVID-19. Moreover, it also provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the scientific use of TCMs in emerging infectious diseases. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glaucocalyxin A alleviates septic shock via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Glaucocalyxin A (GLA) is a bioactive ent-kauranoid diterpenoid derived from the herbal medicine, Rabdosia japonica var. glaucocalyx, and it has been reported to possess marked anti-inflammatory properties. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we reported that GLA dramatically inhibited canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by multiple agonists. In addition, GLA also blocked NLRC4 inflammasome activation but had no effect on AIM2 inflammasome. Furthermore, we found that GLA inhibited NLRP3 or NLRC4 agonists-induced ASC oligomerization, which is an upstream event of the inflammasomes assembly. Most importantly, administration of GLA significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mortality in septic-shock mouse model. Additionally, GLA dose-dependently inhibited the production of interleukin (IL)-1β, but had no effect on NLRP3-independent TNF-α production induced by LPS in vivo. In conclusion, our study suggests that GLA alleviates LPS-induced septic shock and inflammation via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and provides a promising candidate drug for the treatment of NLRP3-driven diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]