【目的】 观察心脉康方对动脉粥样硬化小鼠的治疗作用及机制。【方法】 采用高脂饲料喂饲法构建动脉粥样硬化 ApoE-/-小鼠模型。将造模成功的小鼠随机分为4组，即模型组、阿托伐他汀组及心脉康方低、高剂量组，每组8只。另设正 常组（8只小鼠）。各组给予相应干预12周后，采用油红O染色法观察主动脉病理变化，酶联免疫吸附分析（ELISA）测定血清 中白细胞介素1β（IL-1β）和白细胞介素18（IL-18）的含量，实时定量聚合酶链反应（qPCR）法检测主动脉组织中与细胞焦亡相 关的核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白3（NLRP3）、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶 1（Caspase-1）及炎症因子IL-1β、IL-18 的 mRNA表达水平，Western Blot法检测主动脉组织中 NLRP3、Caspase-1、IL-1β、IL-18的蛋白表达水平。【结果】 与正常 组比较，模型组小鼠主动脉内层厚度显著增加，出现大量脂质斑块和炎症细胞浸润，血清中IL-1β、IL-18含量升高（P < 0.01）， 主动脉组织NLRP3、Caspase-1、IL-1β、IL-18的mRNA和蛋白表达量显著升高（P < 0.01）；心脉康方高剂量组和阿托伐他汀 组小鼠主动脉组织中脂滴和易损斑块面积明显减少，血清中 IL-1β、IL-18 水平降低（P < 0.01），主动脉组织 NLRP3、 Caspase-1、IL-1β、IL-18的mRNA和蛋白表达量显著降低（P < 0.01）。【结论】 心脉康方可能通过调节NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β 信号通路，有效减轻动脉粥样硬化模型小鼠的血管内皮细胞炎症反应和细胞焦亡，从而发挥防治动脉粥样硬化的作用。

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Xinmaikang Prescription for mice with atherosclerosis（AS）. Methods A high-fat diet feeding method was used to construct an AS ApoE-/- mouse model. Successful modeled mice were randomly divided into four groups，i.e.，the model group，the Atorvastatin group， and the low- and high-dose groups of Xinmaikang Prescription，with eight mice in each group. A normal group （eight mice）was also set up. After 12 weeks of corresponding intervention in each group，the pathological changes of aorta were observed by oil red O staining，enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）was used to determine the contents of interleukin 1β （IL-1β） and interleukin 18 （IL-18） in serum， and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qPCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of pyroptosis-associated proteins nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） and cysteine protein hydrolase 1（Caspase-1）as well as inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 in aorta tissues， and Western Blot method was used to detect the protein expression levels of NLRP3， Caspase-1， IL-1β and IL-18 in aortic tissues. Results Compared with the normal group， the intima thickness in the model group was significantly increased，and a large number of lipid plaques and inflammatory cell infiltration appeared in aorta，the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum were elevated（P < 0.01），and the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3， Caspase-1，IL-1β and IL-18 in the aortic tissues were significantly increased（P < 0.01）；in the Xinmaikang Prescription high-dose group and Atorvastatin group，the lipid droplets and area of vulnerable plaques in aortic tissues were significantly reduced，and the serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were decreased（P < 0.01），and the mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3，Caspase-1，IL-1β and IL-18 in aortic tissues were significantly reduced（P < 0.01）. Conclusion Xinmaikang Prescription may effectively reduce the inflammatory response and pyoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in AS model mice through regulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway，thus exerting the effect of preventing and treating AS.

R285.5

2020年粤莞青年基金项目计划（编号：2020A1515110132）；广东省中医药局科研项目（编号：20211406）；东莞市社会发展科技 项目（编号：20211800900142）