Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial
Abstract Background Pneumonia Compound Formulation (PCF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used for the clinical treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia. However, its efficacy and mechanism of action for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10823-8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849733285801885696 |
|---|---|
| author | Ying Zhou Yi Wei Jieqiong Wang Leqian Wang Meixia Zheng Fanxuan Zhang Wenmin Wang Feihua Huang |
| author_facet | Ying Zhou Yi Wei Jieqiong Wang Leqian Wang Meixia Zheng Fanxuan Zhang Wenmin Wang Feihua Huang |
| author_sort | Ying Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Pneumonia Compound Formulation (PCF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used for the clinical treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia. However, its efficacy and mechanism of action for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PCF combined with antibiotics in the treatment of CAP and to explore its mechanism based on metabolomics. Patients and methods This prospective controlled study included 100 CAP patients from June to December 2023. Patients were randomized into an antibiotics-only group (NCM, n = 50) and a combined antibiotics and PCF treatment group (CM, n = 50). Clinical data were collected for all participants. The efficacy of the treatments was assessed by comparing traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and clinical parameters before and after treatment. Levels of inflammatory mediators (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) in the plasma were measured using ELISA. Plasma metabolomics analysis was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS). Results Both the NCM and CM group improved the clinical symptoms of CAP patients, with the CM group showing more significant improvements. Both groups effectively reduced the levels of the inflammatory mediators CRP, but had no significant impact on immunoglobulin levels. CM group using additional PCF significantly altered glycerophospholipid metabolism in patients, primarily characterized by increased levels of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, and decreased levels of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Conclusions PCF is an effective adjunct therapy to antibiotics for the treatment of CAP, enhancing clinical symptom improvement. Its mechanism may involve the regulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism levels in patients, providing a new theoretical basis for the application of PCF in the treatment of CAP. Trial registration ChiCTR2400086283 (2024-06-27). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8f58dd06bb8c4508a8d6feb357df91a1 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-8f58dd06bb8c4508a8d6feb357df91a12025-08-20T03:08:05ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342025-03-0125111310.1186/s12879-025-10823-8Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trialYing Zhou0Yi Wei1Jieqiong Wang2Leqian Wang3Meixia Zheng4Fanxuan Zhang5Wenmin Wang6Feihua Huang7Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceCollege of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal UniversityCollege of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical CollegeTongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityThe Yangtze River Delta Biological Medicine Research and Development Center of Zhejiang Province, Yangtze Delta Region Institution of Tsinghua UniversityDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang ProvinceAbstract Background Pneumonia Compound Formulation (PCF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used for the clinical treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia. However, its efficacy and mechanism of action for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PCF combined with antibiotics in the treatment of CAP and to explore its mechanism based on metabolomics. Patients and methods This prospective controlled study included 100 CAP patients from June to December 2023. Patients were randomized into an antibiotics-only group (NCM, n = 50) and a combined antibiotics and PCF treatment group (CM, n = 50). Clinical data were collected for all participants. The efficacy of the treatments was assessed by comparing traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and clinical parameters before and after treatment. Levels of inflammatory mediators (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α) and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) in the plasma were measured using ELISA. Plasma metabolomics analysis was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS). Results Both the NCM and CM group improved the clinical symptoms of CAP patients, with the CM group showing more significant improvements. Both groups effectively reduced the levels of the inflammatory mediators CRP, but had no significant impact on immunoglobulin levels. CM group using additional PCF significantly altered glycerophospholipid metabolism in patients, primarily characterized by increased levels of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, and decreased levels of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Conclusions PCF is an effective adjunct therapy to antibiotics for the treatment of CAP, enhancing clinical symptom improvement. Its mechanism may involve the regulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism levels in patients, providing a new theoretical basis for the application of PCF in the treatment of CAP. Trial registration ChiCTR2400086283 (2024-06-27).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10823-8Community-acquired pneumoniaGlycerophospholipidsMetabolomicsTraditional Chinese medicine |
| spellingShingle | Ying Zhou Yi Wei Jieqiong Wang Leqian Wang Meixia Zheng Fanxuan Zhang Wenmin Wang Feihua Huang Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial BMC Infectious Diseases Community-acquired pneumonia Glycerophospholipids Metabolomics Traditional Chinese medicine |
| title | Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial |
| title_full | Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial |
| title_fullStr | Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial |
| title_short | Efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community-acquired pneumonia: an observational controlled before-after clinical trial |
| title_sort | efficacy and metabolomic analysis of the pneumonia compound formulation against community acquired pneumonia an observational controlled before after clinical trial |
| topic | Community-acquired pneumonia Glycerophospholipids Metabolomics Traditional Chinese medicine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10823-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yingzhou efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT yiwei efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT jieqiongwang efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT leqianwang efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT meixiazheng efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT fanxuanzhang efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT wenminwang efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial AT feihuahuang efficacyandmetabolomicanalysisofthepneumoniacompoundformulationagainstcommunityacquiredpneumoniaanobservationalcontrolledbeforeafterclinicaltrial |