Microsporum canis is one of the common and epidemic pathogenic fungi worldwide that can invade keratinized structures and infect hair, skin and nails of humans and animals. Furthermore, M. canis is zoonotic in nature and highly contagious to Feline, Canis and Homo sapiens [1,2] . The animals could be infected by M. canis during each season, notably, it has the highest incidence rate in the hot and damp seasons [3] . The pathogen causing 60 % of fungal skin diseases of canis and 98 % dermatophytes diseases of feline was found to be M. canis [4] . Once the animals infected by M. canis, the disease is hard to cure since it relapses easily and may generate cross-infection with other pathogens, which is characterized by increasing furfur, forming scab, exuding body fluid, pruritus and so on [5,6] . Osthole, 7-methoxy-8-(3-methyl-2-butenyl) coumarin (fig. 1), is a coumarin derivative extracted from Cnidii Fructus, a traditional Chinese medical herb [7] . Previous studies have showed that osthole could exert antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antitumor and insecticidal activities, relieve heart disorder, dilate blood

Han et al.: Protective Effects of Smilax glabra Roxb on CCl4 Induced Rat ALI by Inhibiting NLRP3The experiment was conducted to investigate the protective effect of Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract on carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver injury in rats by regulating the nucleotide binding leucine rich repeat receptors family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome. In this study, a rat acute liver injury model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 % carbon tetrachloride oil solution (1 ml/kg body weight). A total of 50 rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and 3 Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract intervention groups (0.75, 1.5 and 3 g/kg body weight/d). Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract or distilled water was orally administered by gavage once daily for seven consecutive days. Then the blood and liver samples were collected. The results showed that in the 3 intervention Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract groups, the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase and Alanine aminotransferase, the content of malondialdehyde in rat liver tissues significantly reduced and superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione increased significantly, the liver lobule structures were repaired and the liver cells were aligned in an orderly manner, the expressions of nucleotide binding leucine rich repeat receptors family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome, apoptosis associated speck like protein containing and caspase-1 proteins, Interleukin 1 beta messenger ribonucleic acid was decreased. Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract exerted a protective effect against carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver injury by inhibiting the activation of nucleotide binding leucine rich repeat receptors family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome, which suggest a promising avenue for the exploration of Smilax glabra Roxb. aqueous extract in improving acute liver injury.