44 / 2024-10-19 14:40:17

Effect of Qingfei Xiaoyan Wan, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, on Bronchopneumonia in Mice and Its Mechanism Based on Network Pharmacology

The development and spread of antimicrobial drug resistance is a major problem for human and animal health. The impact of overuse of antimicrobials in livestock on the spread of resistant microorganisms to humans and the environment is of worldwide concern. Rhodococcus equi is an ideal model to illustrate the spread of antimicrobial resistance at the animal-human-environment interface because it is a natural soil saprophyte, an intracellular zoonotic pathogen that produces severe bronchopneumonia in many animal species and humans. Current treatments heavily rely on antibiotics, but prolonged use increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, reducing therapeutic effectiveness and slowing recovery. To address these challenges, alternative therapies such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are being explored for their potential benefits in reducing antibiotic dependence. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of Qingfei Xiaoyan Wan (QF), a TCM formulation derived from Maxing Shigan Decoction, which has shown clinical efficacy in respiratory infections. C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a bronchopneumonia model, and QF was administered to assess its therapeutic potential. Network pharmacology was employed to identify key targets and pathways involved in the treatment, with predictions made using databases such as SwissTargetPrediction, TCMSP, and GeneCards. Protein-protein interaction networks were analyzed via STRING and Cytoscape to explore interactions between QF targets and bronchopneumonia-related genes. The study is expected to demonstrate that QF significantly alleviates bronchopneumonia by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration, down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, and protecting against airway injury and lung inflammation. Network pharmacology analysis suggests that QF may exert its effects by targeting key proteins such as TNF and Tlr4, providing insights into its mechanism of action. These findings aim to enhance the understanding of TCM's role in treating bronchopneumonia, offering a novel therapeutic approach and reducing antibiotic resistance in clinical practice.