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Activation of NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a crucial role in the inflammatory responses of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced gouty arthritis. Therefore, the molecular basis of NLRP3 inflammasome is very valuable in developing potential therapeutic drugs for gout. Tetrahydropalmatine (THP), the main active component of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Corydalis yanhusuo, has shown prominent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, but to date, these effects have not been investigated exhaustively on gout. This study indicated that THP attenuated pain and swelling in an MSU-induced acute gout model by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production and inflammatory cell infiltration. THP exerted its actions by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation and subsequent formation of caspase-1. Furthermore, results showed that THP alleviated MSU-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, upstream of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, by an increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our study suggests that THP suppressed ROS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation in MSU-induced inflammatory responses, which highlights its therapeutic potential in gouty arthritis., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that long-term treatment with hydrogen-rich saline abated testicular oxidative stress induced by nicotine in mice., Methods: The effects of hydrogen-rich saline (6 ml/kg, i.p.), vitamin C (60 mg/kg, i.p.) and vitamin E (100 mg/kg, i.p.) on reproductive system and testicular oxidative levels in nicotine-treated (4.5 mg/kg, s.b.) mice were investigated., Results: It was found that vitamin C and vitamin E attenuated serum oxidative level, but did not lower testicular oxidative levels in mice subjected to chronic nicotine treatment, and did not improve the male reproductive damage and apoptosis induced by nicotine. Different from normal antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin E, hydrogen-rich saline abated oxidative stress in testis, and protected against nicotine-induced male reproductive damages., Conclusion: Our results first demonstrated that long-term treatment with hydrogen-rich saline attenuated testicular oxidative level and improved male reproductive function in nicotine-treated mice.

Analogues of [Dmt 1 ]DALDA (H-Dmt- d -Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ; Dmt = 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine), a potent μ opioid agonist peptide with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant activity were prepared by replacing Dmt with various 2′,6′-dialkylated Tyr analogues, including 2′,4′,6′-trimethyltyrosine (Tmt), 2′-ethyl-6′-methyltyrosine (Emt), 2′-isopropyl-6′-methyltyrosine (Imt) and 2′,6′-diethyltyrosine (Det). All compounds were selective μ opioid agonists and the Tmt 1 -, Emt 1 and Det 1 -analogues showed subnanomolar μ opioid receptor binding affinities. The Tmt 1 - and Emt 1 -analogues showed improved antioxidant activity compared to the Dmt 1 -parent peptide in the DPPH radical-scavenging capacity assay, and thus are of interest as drug candidates for neuropathic pain treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]