Liu Yongchao, Wu Qianyi, Shao Jing, Mei Youmin, Zhang Jie, Xu Qiuyun, Mao Liming
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
Department of Periodontology, Nantong Stomatological Hospital, Nantong, China.
Front Immunol. 2025 May 15;16:1568722. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1568722. eCollection 2025.
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the gradual accumulation of plaques in arterial walls, with its pathogenesis remaining incompletely understood. Recent studies have highlighted that development of AS is closely associated with the aberrant activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the arteries. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome by natural products and formulae derived from Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) has been shown to alleviate AS-associated pathologies. However, therapies that effectively and safely target the NLRP3 inflammasome remain limited. This review aims to summarize the key discoveries from recent studies on the effects of these natural products and formulae on the NLRP3 inflammasome in the context of AS treatment. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE up to January 2025, yielding 38 eligible studies. Our analysis indicates that certain therapies can effectively prevent arterial inflammation in animal models by targeting multiple pathways and mechanisms related to the NLRP3 inflammasome. This review summarizes the primary findings of these studies, focusing on the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of action. Based on these insights, we propose future strategies to enhance the efficacy, specificity, and safety of existing natural products and formulae for AS treatment. Additionally, this study offers a perspective for future research that may enhance our understanding of the roles and the mechanisms of CHM-derived phytochemicals and formulae in regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome and treating AS.
动脉粥样硬化（AS）是一种慢性炎症性疾病，其特征是动脉壁中斑块逐渐积累，但其发病机制仍未完全了解。最近的研究强调，AS的发展与动脉中NLRP3炎性小体的异常激活密切相关。已证明，天然产物和源自中草药（CHM）的配方对NLRP3炎性小体的抑制作用可减轻AS相关的病理状况。然而，有效且安全地靶向NLRP3炎性小体的疗法仍然有限。本综述旨在总结近期关于这些天然产物和配方在AS治疗背景下对NLRP3炎性小体作用的研究中的关键发现。截至2025年1月，我们在PubMed/MEDLINE等数据库上进行了全面的文献检索，共获得38项符合条件的研究。我们的分析表明，某些疗法可以通过靶向与NLRP3炎性小体相关的多种途径和机制，有效预防动物模型中的动脉炎症。本综述总结了这些研究的主要发现，重点关注其治疗效果和潜在作用机制。基于这些见解，我们提出了未来的策略，以提高现有天然产物和配方治疗AS的疗效、特异性和安全性。此外，本研究为未来的研究提供了一个视角，可能会增进我们对CHM衍生的植物化学物质和配方在调节NLRP3炎性小体和治疗AS中的作用及机制的理解。
