Targeting inflammasome in digestive diseases: A dual approach of Western and Chinese medicine

Table 3 Mapping of traditional Chinese medicine interventions to specific molecular steps of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 inflammasome activation

TCM intervention	Priming stage (NF-κB)	Activation stage (ROS/TXNIP/oligomerization)	Effector stage (caspase-1/IL-1β)	Negative regulation (autophagy/ubiquitination)
Saikosaponin-d	Reduced NF-κB translocation	Not directly reported	Reduced caspase-1, reduced IL-1β/IL-18	Increased K48-linked ubiquitination → proteasomal degradation
Ursolic acid	Not directly reported	Reduced ROS → disrupts TXNIP-NLRP3 binding → reduced oligomerization	Reduced caspase-1, reduced IL-1β	NR
Emodin	Not directly reported	Not directly reported	Reduced caspase-1, reduced IL-1β	Increased AMPK/mTOR-dependent autophagy → degradation of NLRP3 and ASC
Curcumin	Reduced NF-κB	Reduced ROS; directly binds NLRP3 NACHT domain → blocks ATPase	Reduced caspase-1, reduced IL-1β/IL-18	NR
Buzhong Yiqi decoction	Reduced TLR4/NF-κB (via microbiota)	Reduced ROS (indirect)	Reduced IL-1β, reduced IL-18	NR
Shaoyao decoction	Increased MKP1 → reduced p38/JNK → reduced NF-κB	Not directly reported	Reduced NLRP3 assembly, reduced caspase-1, reduced IL-1β	NR
Qingyi decoction	Not directly reported	Not directly reported	Reduced NLRP3/caspase-1 axis	NR

NLRP3: NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3; ASC: Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD; NF-κB: Nuclear factor kappa B; MKP1: Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1; TLR4: Toll-like receptor 4; TXNIP: Thioredoxin-interacting proteins; TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine; NR: Not report; IL: Interleukin; ROS: Reactive oxygen species.