Research Progress on Molecular Mechanism of Lipid-lowering and Anti-inflammatory Effect of Zexietang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Zexietang is a Chinese herbal compound prescription with a long history， which consists of Rhizoma alismatis and Atractylodes macrocephala. Zexietang comes from "Synopsis of Golden Chamber"， as "there is a drink under the heart， and its people are bitter and dizzy". Zexietang has the effect of removing water from drinking water and invigorating spleen for diuresis. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that its lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects are very significant. It can be used to treat hyperlipidemia， anti-atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. With the continuous development of molecular biology， the research on the pharmacological effects of Zexietang， extracts and their monomers has deepened to the molecular level gradually， and the relevant mechanism of action has also been continuously elucidated. In terms of lipid-lowering effect of Zexietang， the levels of cytokines or receptors such as 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase （HMGCR）， cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase （CYP7A1）， and liver X receptors （LXR） are affected. It is widely involved in adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK） and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors （PPAR） pathways， while Zexietang's anti-inflammatory effect mainly affects inflammatory factors such as interleukins （IL） and tumor necrosis factors （TNF）， and simultaneously nuclear factor κB （NF-κB）， toll-like receptors （TLR） and other cytokines or receptor-related pathways. In order to promote the further research and clinical application of Zexietang and contribute to the development of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine， the studies of the past 15 years on molecular mechanism of the lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effect of Zexietang， Alisma and Atractylodes extract as well as their monomer components were reviewed.