Objective: To investigate the effect of Buzhong Yiqi Wan medicated serum on NOD like receptor-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and related cytokines in intestinal epithelial cell(IEC-6) injury model. Method: According to the methods of serum pharmacology of Chinese medicine

IEC-6 cells were divided into fetal bovine serum (FBS) group

tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) group

blank group

model group

Buzhong Yiqi Wan group (BZYQ)

and sulfasalazine group (SASP). First 10% 2

4

6-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) model serum or TNF-α(mass concentration of 100 g·L-1) was used to stimulate IEC-6 cells for 24 h

and then 10% drug containing serum was added for further culture for 24 h. Then cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method and the protein expression level of NLRP3 inflammasome was detected by Western blot; the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 levels in cell culture supernatant were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Result: As compared with the blank group

IEC-6 cell proliferation was significantly decreased in both TNF-α group and model group (P<0.01); the protein expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and cytokine (IL-1β

IL-18) levels were all increased (P<0.01). After administration with BZYQ medicated serum

cell proliferation rate was increased significantly

and the NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β

IL-18 levels were decreased in IEC-6 cells (P<0.05

P<0.01) as compared with model group. Conclusion: BZYQ medicated serum has protective effect on intestinal epithelial cell injury by down-regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome protein expression and cytokine level in injury epithelial cell.