{"title":"10-Gingerol attenuates alcohol-induced colon injury by modulating IL-36R and downstream cGAS-STING signaling to suppress macrophage inflammation and ferroptosis.","authors":"Miao Li, Tian-Tian Wang, Yan-Ni Huang, Xin-Xin Wang, Hong-Zhang Wang, Xiao-Kui Huo, Yan Wang, Hui-Yi Lv, Yue Shang","doi":"10.1016/j.jep.2026.122562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) is traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic/Tibb-Unani medicine for gastrointestinal and inflammatory disorders. Its bioactive constituent 10-gingerol (10-G) exhibits intestinal anti-inflammatory activity, providing a rationale for investigating its protective effects against alcohol-induced colon injury.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>To investigate whether 10-G attenuates alcohol-induced colon injury by modulating interleukin-36 receptor (IL-36R) and downstream cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling, thereby reducing macrophage inflammation and ferroptosis.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>An alcohol-induced mouse colon injury model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) were used. Transcriptomics, Il1rl2 knockdown, complementary target-engagement assays, and STING-agonist rescue were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>10-G reduced IL-36R and cGAS expression and STING signaling activation, while attenuating alcohol-induced colon injury, tight-junction disruption, inflammation, and ferroptosis-related alterations. Target-engagement assays supported IL-36R engagement by 10-G. In vivo, Il1rl2 knockdown suppressed cGAS-STING signaling and attenuated inflammation- and ferroptosis-related alterations. In LPS-stimulated MPMs, 10-G attenuated inflammatory responses and ferroptosis. Il1rl2 knockdown induced changes consistent with 10-G treatment; significant shRNA × 10-G interactions indicated that the effects of 10-G were influenced by IL-36R functional status. STING reactivation counteracted the effects of 10-G and Il1rl2 knockdown on inflammatory and ferroptosis-related readouts without restoring IL-36R levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>10-G attenuates alcohol-induced colon injury by engaging and modulating IL-36R and suppressing downstream cGAS-STING signaling, thereby reducing macrophage inflammation and ferroptosis. Genetic and pharmacological evidence supports a functional upstream role for IL-36R.</p>","PeriodicalId":15761,"journal":{"name":"Journal of ethnopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"122562"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tao-He-Cheng-Qi decoction protects against sepsis-associated acute lung injury by modulating gut microbiota and succinate-associated pulmonary macrophage polarization.","authors":"Wanhua Huo, Xuyang Hou, Yiying Huang, Zuming Li, Xueru Chen, Jieni Feng, Yunqi Kong, Simin Pan, Qiuyue Wang, Jian Xu, Jiankun Chen, Jiqiang Li, Rongyuan Yang, Yue Lu, Yuntao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jep.2026.122520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Sepsis-associated acute lung injury (SA-ALI) has high mortality and limited therapies.Tao-He-Cheng-Qi decoction protects against sepsis-associated acute lung injury by modulating gut microbiota and succinate-associated pulmonary macrophage polarization.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>To evaluate the protective effects of THCQ pretreatment against LPS-induced SA-ALI and examine associated changes in gut microbiota, succinate levels, SUCNR1-PKA-CREB signaling and macrophage polarization.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A murine SA-ALI model was induced by intraperitoneal LPS. Lung injury, inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), and M1/M2 polarization were assessed. Gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Succinate levels, SUCNR1, and PKA-CREB signaling were measured. Microbiota dependence was tested using antibiotic depletion, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from THCQ-treated donors, exogenous succinate, and macrophage depletion with clodronate liposomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>THCQ pretreatment attenuated lung injury, reduced IL-1β and TNF-α levels, and shifted pulmonary macrophage polarization toward an M2-like phenotype. These effects were accompanied by altered gut microbiota composition, a lower abundance ratio of bacterial families grouped in the exploratory succinate-metabolism analysis, reduced serum and pulmonary succinate levels, lower SUCNR1 expression, and increased PKA/CREB phosphorylation. Antibiotic treatment attenuated the protective responses to THCQ, while FMT from THCQ-treated donors reproduced improvements in lung injury. Exogenous succinate attenuated THCQ-mediated protection. Clo-Lipo treatment reduced the proportions of alveolar and interstitial macrophages and markedly attenuated the protective effects of THCQ.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>THCQ treatment protects against SA-ALI and suppresses M1-like macrophage polarization. These effects are accompanied by changes in gut microbiota composition, reduced succinate levels, and altered SUCNR1-PKA-CREB signaling. Together, the findings support a role for gut microbiota-metabolism-immune interactions in the protective effects of THCQ.</p>","PeriodicalId":15761,"journal":{"name":"Journal of ethnopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"122520"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mengmeng Cheng, Kangchen Li, Zeyu Zhang, Nan Xin, Xinguang Liu, Yan Du, Peng Zhao, Qin Zhang, Jiansheng Li
{"title":"Tongsai Granules Ameliorate Airway Mucus Hypersecretion in AECOPD by Remodeling LIPA-Driven Ceramide Metabolism.","authors":"Mengmeng Cheng, Kangchen Li, Zeyu Zhang, Nan Xin, Xinguang Liu, Yan Du, Peng Zhao, Qin Zhang, Jiansheng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jep.2026.122543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Tongsai Granules (TSG) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula traditionally used for the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) with phlegm-heat obstructing lung syndrome, a condition characterized by cough, excessive sputum production, and dyspnea; however, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>To investigate the mechanisms by which TSG alleviates airway mucus hypersecretion in AECOPD through regulation of the LIPA/ceramide axis.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A murine AECOPD model and airway epithelial cells were used. Proteomic and lipidomic analyses, molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS), and LIPA overexpression and knockdown assays were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TSG improved pulmonary function, attenuated lung injury and inflammation, and suppressed MUC5AC expression in AECOPD mice. Multi-omics analyses showed that TSG regulated lipid metabolism and reduced triglyceride and ceramide accumulation while downregulating lysosomal acid lipase A (LIPA). Several serum-exposed constituents of TSG inhibited MUC5AC expression. Bergenin (BER) was selected as a representative bioactive constituent for subsequent target-identification and mechanistic studies. Molecular docking, SPR, and DARTS assays demonstrated direct interaction between BER and LIPA. LIPA knockdown suppressed MUC5AC expression, whereas LIPA overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effect of BER. Moreover, exogenous ceramide reversed BER-mediated suppression of MUC5AC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TSG alleviates airway mucus hypersecretion in AECOPD by targeting the LIPA/ceramide axis. Bergenin directly targets LIPA to regulate lipid metabolism and suppress MUC5AC overexpression.</p>","PeriodicalId":15761,"journal":{"name":"Journal of ethnopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"122543"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dongping Wan, Danyuan Wang, Yu Cui, Tao Chen, Chengcheng Zhang, Yuhang Liu, Ming Li, Zhong Li, Taotao Ren, Bing Du
{"title":"Protective effects and possible mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions in animal models of osteoarthritis: a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Dongping Wan, Danyuan Wang, Yu Cui, Tao Chen, Chengcheng Zhang, Yuhang Liu, Ming Li, Zhong Li, Taotao Ren, Bing Du","doi":"10.1016/j.jep.2026.122511","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122511","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, commonly known as Danshen, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb historically used for blood stasis- and pain-related disorders. Its extracts and bioactive constituents have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and tissue-protective effects, suggesting potential value for osteoarthritis (OA).</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the protective effects and possible mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions in animal models of OA.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and Wanfang were searched from inception to March 2026. Controlled in vivo animal studies assessing Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions or related constituents in OA models were included. Primary outcomes were histological cartilage damage scores, including OARSI and Mankin scores. Secondary outcomes included inflammatory cytokines, cartilage matrix metabolism markers, apoptosis-related indicators, and oxidative stress markers. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-two studies involving 456 animals were included. Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions significantly attenuated histological cartilage damage, as reflected by lower OARSI scores (SMD = -4.20, 95% CI -5.31 to -3.09; I<sup>2</sup> = 69.26%) and Mankin scores (SMD = -6.50, 95% CI -8.50 to -4.50; I<sup>2</sup> = 85.61%). Model type showed a significant subgroup difference for OARSI score, and intervention category showed a significant subgroup difference for Mankin score, suggesting possible sources of heterogeneity. Significant reductions were observed in serum IL-1β, serum IL-6, cartilage/chondrocyte IL-6, and serum TNF-α, whereas the reduction in cartilage TNF-α did not reach statistical significance. Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions also increased Aggrecan and Collagen II expression and modulated MMP-13 expression, supporting an improvement in cartilage matrix homeostasis. Apoptosis-related analyses showed increased Bcl-2 expression and reduced caspase-3 expression and TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, whereas the reduction in Bax expression was not statistically significant. Cartilage MDA levels were also significantly reduced. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis indicated that the pooled OARSI result was robust. Although funnel plot asymmetry was observed, trim-and-fill analysis did not alter the direction of the pooled effect.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Current preclinical evidence suggests that Salvia miltiorrhiza-derived interventions may attenuate cartilage structural damage in animal models of OA, with possible involvement of inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix metabolism, chondrocyte apoptosis, and oxidative stress. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously beca","PeriodicalId":15761,"journal":{"name":"Journal of ethnopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"122511"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149182347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kanshen Ye, Haoqin Li, Zhizheng Qin, Zichen Zhu, Rui Wang, Jie Dou, Qingjia Ren, Xiaoya Liu, Fei Wang
{"title":"Shisanwei Qinglan Powder attenuates ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in association with reduced NF-κB signalling and caspase activation.","authors":"Kanshen Ye, Haoqin Li, Zhizheng Qin, Zichen Zhu, Rui Wang, Jie Dou, Qingjia Ren, Xiaoya Liu, Fei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jep.2026.122505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122505","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Shisanwei Qinglan Powder (SQP) is a marketed Tibetan medicinal formula traditionally used for gastrointestinal disorders associated with \"peigen mubu\", including epigastric distension and pain, gastritis, and ulcer-related symptoms. However, experimental evidence for the complete formula, its systemically exposed constituents, and the mechanisms underlying gastric mucosal protection remains limited.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>This study aimed to characterise the serum-associated constituents of SQP and evaluate its protective effects and molecular responses in acute ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Chemical profiling and serum pharmacochemistry were performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Network pharmacology and gastric-tissue transcriptomics were integrated to prioritise treatment-associated pathways. Pharmacological effects were evaluated in mice receiving SQP prophylactically before anhydrous ethanol challenge and in GES-1 cells receiving SQP after ethanol-induced injury, using viability, migration, apoptosis, macroscopic lesion, histological, oxidative-stress, and inflammatory measurements. The IKKβ/IκBα/NF-κB axis and caspase-8/caspase-3 activation were assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Selected compound-target pairs were further evaluated by molecular docking and 100-ns molecular dynamics simulations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-two distinct serum-associated constituents were tentatively identified, and 185 targets were shared between SQP- and gastric ulcer-related datasets. Under the post-injury cell-intervention paradigm, SQP improved viability and migration, corrected oxidative and cytokine imbalances, and reduced total apoptosis from approximately 21.9% to 7.9% at 20 μg/mL. Under the prophylactic animal paradigm, SQP alleviated haemorrhage, erosion, and glandular disruption, and 0.52 g/kg significantly reduced both the ulcer index and damaged area. RNA sequencing identified 1,533 differentially expressed genes between the high-dose SQP and model groups, with enrichment in TNF, NF-κB and apoptosis-related pathways. In both models, SQP reduced phosphorylation of IKKβ, IκBα and NF-κB p65, suppressed caspase-8 and caspase-3 cleavage, and decreased gastric TUNEL positivity. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used for computational prioritization of the TNF-bicuculline and CASP3-kaempferol pairs; these analyses indicated structural feasibility under the simulated conditions but did not establish direct binding or target engagement.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SQP showed prophylactic gastroprote ctive effects in mice and post-injury protective and reparative effects in ethanol-injured GES-1 cells. Across these distinct experimental paradigms, the observed effects were associated with attenuation of oxidative stress, IKK/NF-κB-related inflammati","PeriodicalId":15761,"journal":{"name":"Journal of ethnopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":"122505"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149182374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}