ZHOU Rongbin and JIANG Wei from University of CASScience and Technology of China could showhow Oridonin (Ori), the major ingredient of Chinese medicinal herb Rabdosia rubescens, targets NLRP3 to exert anti-inflammatory activity. NRLP3 is a multiple protein complex whose activation contributes to the progress of human diseasessuch as type 2 diabetes (T2D), atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases.Experiments on mice suggest that Ori has both preventive and therapeutic effects on peritonitis, gouty arthritis and T2D, via inhibition of NLRP3 activation. Ori might thus serve as a lead in developing new therapies.

CAS news release, July 12, 2017