Forsythiae Fructus aqueous extract attenuates cisplatin-induced kaolin consumption (pica) by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in rats

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 85; no. 9; pp. 2054 - 2064
• Main Authors: Meng, Qi, Bi, Pingping, Zhang, Guanglong, Li, Yaqi, Chen, Siqi, Nie, Ke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - isolation & purification; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Cisplatin - isolation & purification; Cisplatin - pharmacology; Forsythia - chemistry; Inflammasomes - drug effects; Kaolin - analysis; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein - antagonists & inhibitors; Pica - chemically induced; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Rats; pica; rat; NLRP3 inflammasome; cisplatin; Forsythiae Fructus aqueous extract
• ISSN: 1347-6947; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbab126

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Forsythiae Fructus aqueous extract (FAE) against cisplatin-induced emesis and to explore the antiemetic mechanism of FAE by focusing on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in a rat pica model. Our results showed that FAE significantly ameliorated cisplatin-induced acute and delayed pica in rats. Moreover, FAE improved the gastrointestinal histopathological injury and reduced the levels of serum ROS, IL-1β, and IL-18 in cisplatin-treated rats. In addition, the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β and the colocalization of the NLRP3 with ASC or caspase-1 in rat gastric antrum and ileum were also suppressed by FAE. Taken together, our findings indicate that FAE has a therapeutic effect against CINV, which may be related to its inhibition of the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.