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Anti-inflammatory Effect of Total Saponin Fraction from Dioscorea nipponica Makino on Gouty Arthritis and Its Influence on NALP3 Inflammasome

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine Dioscorea nipponica for the treatment of monosodium urate crystals-induced gouty arthritis (GA) in rats.

Methods

Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: normal, model, indomethacin and three total saponin (900, 300 and 100 mg/kg) groups. The liver, kidney and serum levels of lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities, and inflammatory factors were measured. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of the NALP3 inflammasome components in the mononuclear cells of rats’ peripheral blood were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods, respectively.

Results

Total saponins groups could reduce the activities of β-galactosidase, β-N acetyl glucosamine enzyme, β-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and malonaldehyde as well as the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 (all P<0.05). They could also increase the activities of glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase (both P<0.05). Further studies showed that total saponins groups of high, middle and low doses could all increase the mRNA and protein levels of caspase-1, adapter apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC) and NALP3 in the mononuclear cells of peripheral blood (all P<0.05).

Conclusion

Dioscorea nipponica may treat GA by regulating lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities and the NALP3 inflammasome.

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Abbreviations

NALP3: NACHT:

neuronal apoptosis inhibitor protein, class 2 transcription activator, heterokaryon incompatibility, and telomerase-associated protein 1

LRR:

leucine-rich repeat

PYD:

(pyrin domain) domains-containing protein 3

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Acknowledgments

The first author of this paper is currently working at the postdoctoral research station of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, China

    Qi Zhou, Dong-hua Yu & Ning Zhang

  2. Technological Innovation Team of Basic Theory Study Research of Institution of Higher Education in Heilongjiang Province, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, China

    Shu-min Liu

Authors
  1. Qi Zhou
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  2. Dong-hua Yu
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  3. Ning Zhang
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  4. Shu-min Liu
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Contributions

Zhou Q and Zhang N carried out the experiments, Yu DH contributed to statistical analysis, Zhou Q wrote the manuscript, Lu SM designed the project and supervised the work and provided the facilities for the study. All authors read the manuscript and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shu-min Liu.

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The authors have no financial conflict of interest.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81173618, 81403156), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2015M57036), Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Special Assisted Fund (Nos. LBH-TZ0520, LBH-Z13191), Scientific Fund of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine (No. 2013bs05) and the Outstanding Innovative Talent Support Programs of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine

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Zhou, Q., Yu, Dh., Zhang, N. et al. Anti-inflammatory Effect of Total Saponin Fraction from Dioscorea nipponica Makino on Gouty Arthritis and Its Influence on NALP3 Inflammasome. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 25, 663–670 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2741-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2741-5

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