Researchers from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine evaluated whether shen shuai II recipe (SSR) could alleviate renal injury and fibrosis by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome and the Sirt1/Smad3 deacetylation pathway. The results of their study were published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• Excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and down-regulation of the Sirt1/Smad3 deacetylation pathway play a huge role in the development of renal fibrosis.
• In China, some herbal medicines are used to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are known for their effectiveness.
• SSR has been used clinically for over 20 years. Its effectiveness in improving renal function and reducing fibrosis has been proven by many studies. However, the mechanism underlying these effects remains unknown.
• To address this, the researchers conducted an in vivo study using rats subjected to 5/6 abalation/infarction (A/I) surgery.
• Four weeks after the surgery, they divided the rats into four groups: the sham operation group, the 5/6 (A/I) group, the 5/6 (A/I) + SSR group and the 5/6 (A/I) + Losartan (Los) group.
• The researchers assessed the severity of renal injury and fibrosis along with the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and Sirt1/Smad3 deacetylation pathway. The intervention lasted for eight weeks.
• The researchers found that SSR treatment significantly attenuated renal injury and fibrosis in the remnant kidneys.
• SSR also effectively inhibited the activation of NLP3/ASC/Caspase-1/IL-1B cascase, decreased inflammatory infiltration and up-regulated the Sirt1/Smad3 deacetylation pathway.\

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that SSR can protect the kidneys by inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and up-regulating the Sirt1/Smad3 deacetylation pathway.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Wang M, Yang L, Yang J, Wang C. SHEN SHUAI II RECIPE ATTENUATES RENAL INJURY AND FIBROSIS IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE BY REGULATING NLRP3 INFLAMMASOME AND SIRT1/SMAD3 DEACETYLATION PATHWAY. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 22 May 2019;19(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2524-6