2. Academic Validation
  3. Xiaoqinglong decoction improves allergic rhinitis by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in BALB/C mice

Xiaoqinglong decoction improves allergic rhinitis by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in BALB/C mice

  • J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Nov 27:117490. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117490.
Ruizhi Wang 1,  Yongchun Wang 2,  Qintai Yang 3,  Jiaming Liu 4,  Zesheng Lu 5,  Weizhen Xu 6,  Jinxiang Zhu 7,  He Liu 8,  Weiping He 9,  Yajie Yan 10,  Yan Ruan 11,  Min Zhou 12
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Department of Otolaryngology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, China; Department of Allergy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 The Second Clinical Medical School of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8 The First Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 9 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 10 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Lingnan Institute of Otolaryngology, Guangdong Clinical Research Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 11 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Lingnan Institute of Otolaryngology, Guangdong Clinical Research Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 12 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China; Department of Allergy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 38030025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117490
Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Xiaoqinglong decoction (XQLD), first recorded in Shang Han Lun, is a traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). XQLD alleviates the clinical symptoms of AR by inhibiting the occurrence of an inflammatory response, but the specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear.

Aim of the study: NLRP3-mediated Pyroptosis is closely related to AR pathogenesis. Hence, this study aimed to explore the potential role of NLRP3-mediated Pyroptosis pathway in the AR-associated pharmacological mechanism of XQLD.

Materials and methods: BALB/C mice models of AR was established by using ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide sensitization. After intragastric administration of different dosages of XQLD, nasal allergic symptoms were observed. The expression of OVA-sIgE and Th2 inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in serum was detected by ELISA. The histopathological morphology and expression of inflammatory factors in nasal mucosa along with Pyroptosis were investigated. Molecular docking was performed to analyze the binding of representative compounds of XQLD with NLRP3. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome was detected by immunofluorescence and western blotting.

Results: XQLD significantly improved the nasal allergic symptoms of mice, reduced the degree of goblet cell proliferation, mast cell infiltration, and collagen fiber hyperplasia in nasal mucosa. Meanwhile, it could downregulate the expression of Th2 inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in serum and nasal mucosa. XQLD significantly reduced the number of GSDMD and TUNEL double-positive cells and IL-1β and IL-18 expression. Molecular docking confirmed that seven representative compounds of XQLD had good binding properties with NLRP3 and were able to inhibit the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Conclusions: The representative compounds of XQLD might inhibit Pyroptosis in nasal mucosa mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome to helping the recovery of AR, which provides a new modern pharmacological proof for XQLD to treat AR.

Keywords

Allergic rhinitis; Gasdermin D; NLRP3 inflammasome; Pyroptosis; Xiaoqinglong decoction.

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