<em>Puerariae</em> Radix protects against ulcerative colitis in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used in Asia as treatment for UC and Puerariae Radix (PR) reliable anti-diarrheal therapy. The aims this study were to investigate protective effect PR using dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced model mice and identify molecular mechanisms action. chemical constituents via ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry identified potential targets network pharmacology (NP) approach obtained guide mouse experiments. A total 180 peaks from including 48 flavonoids, 46 organic acids, 14 amino 8 phenols, carbohydrates, 7 alkaloids, 6 coumarins 43 other constituents. NP results showed that caspase-1 was most dysregulated core genes associated with UC. dose 0.136 mg/g administered DSS treated reversed weight loss decreased colon lengths found mice. also alleviated intestinal mucosal shedding, cell infiltration mucin loss. suppressed upregulation NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC GSDMD at both protein mRNA expression levels. addition small molecule dual-specificity phosphatase inhibitor NSC 95397 inhibited positive effects PR. These indicated exerts on DSS-induced by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation