Protective Effects of Yizhi Tongmai Granules on the Brains of Vascular Dementia Rats through the NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway
LI Xiuming
ZANG Guiyong
Abstract：Objective:To explore the brain protective effects of Yizhi Tongmai Granules and its disassembled prescriptions on vascular dementia(VD)rats through the Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome pathway.Methods:Fifty rats were divided into sham group(n=10),model group(n=10),whole prescription group(n=10),kidney-tonifying group(n=10),and meridian-dredging group(n=10).On the 12th day after the operation,the whole prescription group,the kidney-tonifying group,and the meridian-dredging group received corresponding drug interventions for 28 days.Morris water maze test was performed on the 7th day after operation and after administration.Hippocampal morphology and apoptosis were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL)staining.Reactive oxygen species(ROS),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)were detected by biochemistry,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-18 and IL-1β were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the expression of growth associated protein 43(GAP43),synaptophysin(SYN),recombinant aquaporin 4(AQP4),NLRP3,and Caspase-1 were detected by Western Blot.Results:Compared with sham operation group,the degree of dementia in model group,whole prescription group,kidney-tonifying group,and meridian-dredging group increased at each time point(P＜0.05),the number of apoptotic cells in hippocampus,ROS,LDH,TNF-α,IL-18,IL-1β,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 levels increased(P＜0.05),and the levels of SOD,GAP43,SYN,and AQP4 decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the dementia degree of the whole formula group,kidney-tonifying group,and meridian-dredging group decreased at each time point(P＜0.05),the number of apoptotic cells in hippocampus,ROS,LDH,TNF-α,IL-18,IL-1β,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 levels decreased(P＜0.05),and the levels of SOD,GAP43,SYN,and AQP4 increased(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the number of apoptotic cells,ROS,SOD,LDH,TNF-α,IL-18,IL-1β,GAP43,SYN,AQP4,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 between kidney-tonifying group and meridian-dredging group(P＞0.05).Compared with kidney-tonifying group,the degree of dementia in the whole prescription group was further reduced at all time points(P＜0.05),the levels of apoptotic cell number,ROS,LDH,TNF-α,IL-18,IL-1β,NLRP3,and Caspase-1 decreased(P＜0.05),and the levels of SOD,GAP43,SYN,and AQP4 increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Yizhi Tongmai Granules and its disassembled prescriptions can protect the brain of VD rats by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1 signal pathway.
Keywords：vascular dementiaYizhi Tongmai GranulesNOD-like receptor protein 3brain protectionoxidative stressexperimental research
Publication Date：2025-10-25
Online Publishing Date：2025-11-03(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 3087-3093 )