Jiajian Xiefei Tang alleviates asthma airway inflammation by regulating the STAT3/IL-17 signaling pathway through its...

Jiajian Xiefei Tang (JJXFT) is a practical prescription rooted in traditional Chinese medicine clinical experiences for various pulmonary diseases. Nevertheless, its function and mechanism in asthma treatment remain unclear. An ovalbumin-induced murine asthma model was established. The effect of JJXFT on airway inflammation was assessed via histopathological examination and ELISA. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to predict potential targets and upstream active compounds of JJXFT, followed by validation of binding interactions via molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay. Western blot and immunofluorescence were applied to detect proteins linked to the STAT3 signaling axis. An in vitro alveolar epithelial cell injury model was built to further explore the molecular mechanism of JJXFT in ameliorating asthma. JJXFT alleviated disease progression in asthmatic mice by improving pathological conditions and airway inflammation in lung tissues. Network pharmacology analysis detected STAT3 as a potential target of JJXFT, and licochalcone A (Lico-A) as an active component. Experimental validation confirmed that Lico-A bound to STAT3, markedly suppressing its phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. In vitro studies demonstrated that Lico-A effectively reduced asthma-related cellular damage by inhibiting the STAT3/IL-17 signaling pathway. JJXFT attenuates asthma symptoms by modulating the STAT3/IL-17 signaling axis through its active component Lico-A, suggesting that JJXFT may function as a potential therapeutic agent for asthma.