Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41110997›Full record

ArticleExperimental physiology2026

Neuroprotective effects of sinomenine and metformin in diabetic stroke: Role of NLRP3/caspase-1 and mitophagy.

Wendi Li, Yiying Fan, Shaik Althaf Hussain

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Experimental physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Metformin Beyond Glycemic Control: Cardiovascular Protection and Diabetes Prevention.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Wendi LiDepartment of Neurology, Harbin 242 Hospital, Harbin, China.ORCID 0009-0004-5298-4694
Yiying FanHealth Service and Management, Harbin Medical University, Daqing, China.
Shaik Althaf HussainDepartment of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) significantly increases the risk and severity of cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, yet effective neuroprotective treatments for diabetic stroke remain limited. This study explored whether a combination of sinomenine and metformin could offer enhanced neuroprotection in diabetic rats subjected to cerebral IR injury, and investigated the molecular pathways involved. Male rats were rendered diabetic using a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin. After establishing diabetes, rats underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Animals received sinomenine, metformin, or their combination for 7 days prior to IR induction. Neurological function was assessed using standardized behavioural tests. Molecular analyses measured markers of pyroptosis (NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, gasdermin D N-terminal fragment), mitophagy (PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK-1), Parkin), inflammation (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18) and oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase). To determine the role of mitophagy, a subset of animals was pretreated with the mitophagy inhibitor mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdv-1). Combination therapy led to significant improvements in neurological performance, accompanied by downregulation of pyroptosis-associated proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as enhanced activation of the PINK-1/Parkin mitophagy pathway and improved antioxidant status. The neuroprotective effects of the combined treatment were abolished by Mdv-1, indicating a critical role for mitophagy in mediating these benefits. The combination of sinomenine and metformin confers additive neuroprotection against cerebral IR injury in diabetic rats, primarily through inhibition of NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and activation of the PINK-1/Parkin mitophagy pathway. These findings highlight a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic stroke and warrant further preclinical and clinical investigation.

Indexed as

Caspase 1Diabetes Mellitus, ExperimentalMetforminMitophagyMorphinansNeuroprotective AgentsNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinStrokeAnimalsDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2MaleOxidative StressPyroptosisRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyReperfusion InjuryCaspase 1MetforminMorphinansNeuroprotective AgentsNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinNlrp3 protein, ratsinomeninecerebral ischaemia–reperfusion injurycombination therapydiabetes mellitusmetforminneuroprotectionsinomenine

Identifiers

PMID41110997
PMCPMC12857461

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.