The n-butanol extract from Pulsatilla decoction was found to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans, hence providing a potential treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis.
The study employed Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to detect the principal compounds of the n-butanol extract of Pulsatilla decoction, prepared by giving rats the extract intragastrically. The study used PMA-induced THP-1 cells challenged with C. albicans to evaluate its impact on CD68, lactate dehydrogenase, IL-1β, IL-18, and reactive oxygen species levels, using a variety of lab kits and assays. The expression of certain proteins was also examined.
After using the extract, the researchers found that levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and lactate dehydrogenase released from macrophages were reduced. The extract also inhibited the expression of reactive oxygen species in macrophages and suppressed the expression of NLRP3, an inflammasome complex component. Additionally, it inhibited the expression of TLRs/MyD88 and Dectin-1/Syk signaling pathway-related proteins. Therefore, the n-butanol extract restrained the NLRP3 inflammasome and related signaling pathways in macrophages infected with the causative agent of vulvovaginal candidiasis in vitro, shedding light on its potential mechanism of action against the condition.
