Objective To explore the possible mechanism of Huayu Qutan Recipe（ 化瘀祛痰方） in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Methods Sixty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group

a model group

a Huayu Qutan Recipe group

and a simvastatin group

with 15 rabbits in each group. The normal group was fed with normal feed

and the other groups were fed with high-fat diet and combined with immuno-injury to establish an atherosclerosis model. After 8 weeks of modeling

the Huayu Qutan Recipe group was given the dose of 16 g/（ kg·d）

and the simvastatin group was the dose of 1. 4 mg/（ kg·d）. The normal group and the model group were given normal saline with the dose of 8 ml/（ kg·d）. Morphological changes of liver tissue were observed by hematoxylineosin（ HE） and oil red O staining after 4 weeks. The content of interleukin-18（ IL-18） and interleukin-1β（ IL-1β） in liver and serum of rabbits was detected by ELISA. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 1（ Caspase-1）

PYD domains-containing protein 3（ NLRP3）

absent in melanoma 2（ AIM2）and gasdermin D（ GSDMD） protein in rabbit liver. Results Compared with the normal group

the rabbits in the model group had obvious swelling of the liver tissue

the fat vacuoles were clearly visible

and a large amount of lipid droplets accumulated in the cytoplasm; The levels of IL-18 and IL-1β in serum and liver tissues were increased

and the expression levels of pyroptosis related Caspase-1

GSDMD

NLRP3 and AIM2 were increased（ P < 0. 01 or P <0. 05）. Compared with the model group

the fat vacuoles in the Huayu Qutan Recipe group and the simvastatin group were significantly reduced or disappeared

and the morphology of the liver tissue recovered or partially returned to normal; the levels of IL-18 and IL-1β in serum and liver tissues decreased; the expression levels of pyroptosis related Caspase-1

GSDMD and NLRP3 decreased（ P < 0. 01 or P < 0. 05）

and the expression level of AIM2 protein did not change significantly（ P > 0. 05）. Conclusion The mechanism of the Huayu Qutan Recipe might improve liver lipid deposition in rabbits with atherosclerosis by regulating NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway to affect pyroptosis.