Objective: To investigate the ameliorative effects and mechanisms of Jian'er Qiangshen (JEQS) ointment on asthma.
Methods: Twenty-four BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups: blank control, ovalbumin (OVA), OVA + dexamethasone (DXMS), and OVA + JEQS. Lung tissue sections were isolated for H&E and Masson staining, and inflammatory factor levels were measured. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS) was employed to analyze and identify blood components in mice following intragastric administration of JEQS extract. Network pharmacology analysis was subsequently utilized to predict the pharmacological targets and mechanisms of JEQS in asthma treatment. 16S rRNA sequencing was conducted to determine bacterial community composition and diversity.
Results: Animal experiments indicated that compared to the OVA group, the OVA + drug groups (DXMS and JEQS) exhibited milder asthma symptoms and significantly improved pathological changes. JEQS significantly reduced IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in lung tissue.
Conclusions: Through network pharmacology and 16S rRNA sequencing, JEQS ointment was found to alleviate asthma-related inflammatory responses and improve asthma symptoms via multi-target mechanisms and modulation of intestinal microbiota. Network pharmacology revealed 28 effective components in JEQS for asthma treatment, with α-linolenic acid, 9-oxononanoic acid, inosine, linoleic acid, and amygdalin as primary active constituents. One hundred core targets were identified, including AKT1, IL-6, ALB, TNF, and MAPK3. 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated increased proportions of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria following JEQS treatment. Probiotics such as Clostridium, Escherichia, Bacteroides, and Candidatus Saccharimonas became dominant microbiota.
Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing; Jian’er Qiangshen ointment; asthma; intestinal microbiota; network pharmacology.