The water extract of PQR could significantly inhibit the expression of NOX2, superoxide generation, ERK1/2 phosphorylation and TNF-α in the heart during endotoxemia by inhibiting the signaling pathway of NOX2-ERK1/2-TNF-α, and improve the level of inflammatory factors to improve cardiac function (Wu et al., 2016). Here, TNF is linked to serum lipopolysaccharide activity.