Jubang Huashi Yin and its active component cynaroside alleviate excessive inflammation in COVID-19 by inhibiting IKKβ...

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Immunology

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, involves severe immune responses like cytokine storms.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shows promise in COVID-19 treatment, but mechanisms are unclear.
• Understanding TCM's anti-inflammatory and antiviral actions is crucial for developing new therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anti-inflammatory and antiviral mechanisms of Jubang Huashi Yin (JBHSY) for COVID-19 treatment.
• To identify key active compounds and herbs within JBHSY responsible for its therapeutic effects.
• To validate JBHSY's efficacy in preclinical models of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main Methods:

• JBHSY was developed using transcriptomic data from TCM-treated cells.
• Compound identification via fingerprint analysis, efficacy in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice, and in vitro assays were performed.
• Molecular docking and serum analysis identified active components and their targets, including IKKβ.

Main Results:

• JBHSY significantly alleviated lung inflammation in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice.
• The treatment downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by suppressing IKKβ activity.
• Chrysanthemi Indici Flos (CIF) was identified as a key anti-inflammatory component, with cynaroside targeting IKKβ.

Conclusions:

• JBHSY demonstrates significant anti-inflammatory and potential antiviral properties against SARS-CoV-2.
• The herb CIF and its component cynaroside play crucial roles in JBHSY's therapeutic effects via IKKβ inhibition.
• JBHSY is a promising therapeutic candidate for COVID-19 treatment due to its multifaceted mechanism of action.