The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf (ATS) is a rare Tibetan medicinal plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. This herb is mainly distributed in the high-altitude areas of Qinghai, Gansu provinces, and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. In Tibetan medi...

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Main Authors: Xiang Meng, Yu-Peng Liu, Jia-Wei Dai, Yuan Bai, Xin Hu, Muhammad Azhar, Xian-Ju Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Chinese Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01072-7
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author Xiang Meng
Yu-Peng Liu
Jia-Wei Dai
Yuan Bai
Xin Hu
Muhammad Azhar
Xian-Ju Huang
author_facet Xiang Meng
Yu-Peng Liu
Jia-Wei Dai
Yuan Bai
Xin Hu
Muhammad Azhar
Xian-Ju Huang
author_sort Xiang Meng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf (ATS) is a rare Tibetan medicinal plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. This herb is mainly distributed in the high-altitude areas of Qinghai, Gansu provinces, and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. In Tibetan medicine, ATS is mainly used to treat lung inflammation, hepatitis, gastrointestinal diseases, influenza, fever caused by infectious diseases, food poisoning, snake and scorpion bites, and yellow water disease. ATS has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and other pharmacological effects, according to recent research. It is welltolerated by individuals from diverse ethnic groups and has a long history of use in Tibetan medicine. Aim of the study This study investigated the preventive effects of ATS alcoholic extract on acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and aimed to elucidate its possible mechanism of action. Materials and methods Alveolar epithelial cells A549 and specific pathogen-free C57BL/6 mice were induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish ALI models both in vivo and in vitro and to explore the pharmacological effects and therapeutic mechanisms of ATS. Results ATS down-regulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species, inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition caused by sustained cell injury, promoted the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway, reduced the degree of oxidative stress in vivo, and inhibited the production of proteins associated with LPS-induced ferroptosis. Conclusion The Tibetan medicine ATS reduced pulmonary haemorrhage and oedema in ALI mice, alleviated the degree of lung tissue lesions, inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis, and plays a preventive role against acute lung injury in mice. Graphical Abstract
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spelling doaj-art-8ef719fdf3bc4742b244ea5aeb24d9932025-08-20T02:13:02ZengBMCChinese Medicine1749-85462025-02-0120111510.1186/s13020-025-01072-7The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injuryXiang Meng0Yu-Peng Liu1Jia-Wei Dai2Yuan Bai3Xin Hu4Muhammad Azhar5Xian-Ju Huang6College of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityDepartment of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Cholistan University of Vertienary Sciences BahwalpurCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityAbstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf (ATS) is a rare Tibetan medicinal plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. This herb is mainly distributed in the high-altitude areas of Qinghai, Gansu provinces, and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. In Tibetan medicine, ATS is mainly used to treat lung inflammation, hepatitis, gastrointestinal diseases, influenza, fever caused by infectious diseases, food poisoning, snake and scorpion bites, and yellow water disease. ATS has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and other pharmacological effects, according to recent research. It is welltolerated by individuals from diverse ethnic groups and has a long history of use in Tibetan medicine. Aim of the study This study investigated the preventive effects of ATS alcoholic extract on acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and aimed to elucidate its possible mechanism of action. Materials and methods Alveolar epithelial cells A549 and specific pathogen-free C57BL/6 mice were induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish ALI models both in vivo and in vitro and to explore the pharmacological effects and therapeutic mechanisms of ATS. Results ATS down-regulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species, inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition caused by sustained cell injury, promoted the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway, reduced the degree of oxidative stress in vivo, and inhibited the production of proteins associated with LPS-induced ferroptosis. Conclusion The Tibetan medicine ATS reduced pulmonary haemorrhage and oedema in ALI mice, alleviated the degree of lung tissue lesions, inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis, and plays a preventive role against acute lung injury in mice. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01072-7Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) StapfAcute lung injuryInflammationFerroptosis
spellingShingle Xiang Meng
Yu-Peng Liu
Jia-Wei Dai
Yuan Bai
Xin Hu
Muhammad Azhar
Xian-Ju Huang
The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
Chinese Medicine
Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf
Acute lung injury
Inflammation
Ferroptosis
title The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
title_full The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
title_fullStr The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
title_full_unstemmed The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
title_short The preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan medicine Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on acute lung injury
title_sort preventive effect and mechanism of tibetan medicine aconitum tanguticum maxim stapf on acute lung injury
topic Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf
Acute lung injury
Inflammation
Ferroptosis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01072-7
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