In line with enhanced bacterial killing, the secreted mature IL-1β was markedly elevated at the time points of 2 h and 8 h in the peritoneal lavage fluids of berberine-administered mice as compared with vehicle-treated ones, albeit there was no significant difference at the time point of 4 h (Figure 7D); this suggested that berberine augmented inflammasome activation in vivo upon bacterial infection. This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and bacterial infectious disease.