TNF and metabolic syndrome: Moreover, this decoction is reported to reduce serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in rats with metabolic syndrome [25] and inhibit the release of IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the hippocampus of rats with diabetic encephalopathy [26], indicating that Huanglian-Wendan decoction has anti-inflammatory activity.