These results together suggest that imperatorin may ameliorate obesity-induced cardiac sympathetic neuropathy in rats, resulting from the development of an inflammatory state which can trigger the activation of the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-implicated pyroptosis pathway via the mediation of increased expression of P2X4 receptors in the SG. Here, NLRP3 is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.