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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2025 , Vol. 45 >Issue 6: 1215 - 1227

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.06.004

Original Articles

Effect of improved Yupingfeng powder prescription (玉屏风散加味) on interleukin-33/suppression of tumorigenicity 2 pathway in mice with ovalbumins-induced allergic rhinitis

  • Xiaochun LEI ,
  • Cuizhen LIU ,
  • Xiujuan LIN ,
  • Xiangyu XIE ,
  • Wei KE ,
  • Zhenwen QIU ,
  • Hongmei TANG ,
  • Yushen HUANG ,
  • Lijuan ZHANG ,
  • Baoyuan HUANG ,
  • Xin WAN ,
  • Detang LI
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  • 1 The First Clinical Medical School of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
    2 Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
    3 Lingnan Medical Research Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
    4 Department of otorhinolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China
    5 Department of Pharmacy, Chongqing Hospital of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Chongqing Beibei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Chongqing 400700, China

Received date: 2024-11-22

  Accepted date: 2025-04-11

  Online published: 2025-11-24

Supported by

Exploring the Mechanism of Improved Yupingfeng Powder in Treating Allergic Rhinitis Based on the Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain, Leucine-rich Repeat and Pyrin Domain-containing Protein 3/Interleukin-33-Mediated Activation Pathway of Pulmonary Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Airway Epithelial Cells(82374526);Mechanism of Shikonin in Treating Acute Lung Injury Through Regulating M1 Macrophage Polarization via Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase/Dynamin-Related Protein 1-mediated Mitochondrial Dynamics(2024A04J4334);Exemplary Study on Process Optimization and Quality Standard Enhancement of Hospital Preparations Such as Gangmei Qingyan Mixture(2023A03J0299);Anti-Allergic Mechanism of Improved Yupingfeng Powder in Alleviating Nasal Mucosal Inflammation in Allergic Rhinitis via Interleukin-33/Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2-Regulated Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells Suppression(202201020457);Elite Talent Program of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine by 2023 Years and Guangdong Province Lingnan Characteristic Hospital Preparation Transformation Engineering Technology Research Center(2023A170)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify the main active ingredients of Improved Yupingfeng Powder prescription (IYPFP, 玉屏风散加味) and investigate its anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms in ovalbumins (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis (AR) in mice.

METHODS: Bagg Albino/substrain mice were sensitized with OVA emulsified in aluminum hydroxide adjuvant, followed by intranasal challenge to establish AR models. Treatment groups received IYPFP (1.5 or 4.5 g/kg) via daily gavage for 14 d. The nasal mucosa tissues were collected for pathological observation. The expression of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), histamine, and interleukin-33 (IL-33) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-5, IL-13, IL-33, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the nasal mucosa and lung were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. High performance liquid chromatography and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry were used to detect the chemical fingerprints of IYPFP, and the chemical compositions of plasma from rats treated with IYPFP at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4 and 6 h, respectively. Virtual screening of bioactive compounds was conducted through molecular docking targeting IL-33/ST2 pathway proteins.

RESULTS: Eight chemical compounds of IYPFP were accurately identified, they are prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (peak 2), calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (peak 4), cimifugin (peak 5), 5-O-methylvisammioside (peak 6), sec-O-glucosylhamaudol (peak 12), calycosin (peak 15), formononetin (peak 19), and magnolin (peak 21). Compared with the OVA model group, IYPFP alleviated the nasal symptoms, improved nasal mucosal injury and downregulated the levels of OVA-specific IgE, histamine and IL-33. Additionally, IYPFP reduced the levels of IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, IL-33, and ST2 in the lungs, but upregulated IFN-γ. Molecular docking confirmed that eight representative compounds of IYPFP had good binding properties with IL-5, IL-13, IFN-γ, histamine, IL-33 and ST2, and were able to inhibit the activation of the IL33/ST2 inflammatory pathway.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that IYPFP ameliorates AR by modulating IL-33/ST2 pathway which provides a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of patients with AR.

Key words： rhinitis, allergic; inflammation; ovalbumin; IL-33/ST2 pathway; molecular docking simulation; improved Yupingfeng powder prescription

Cite this article

Xiaochun LEI , Cuizhen LIU , Xiujuan LIN , Xiangyu XIE , Wei KE , Zhenwen QIU , Hongmei TANG , Yushen HUANG , Lijuan ZHANG , Baoyuan HUANG , Xin WAN , Detang LI . Effect of improved Yupingfeng powder prescription (玉屏风散加味) on interleukin-33/suppression of tumorigenicity 2 pathway in mice with ovalbumins-induced allergic rhinitis[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025 , 45(6) : 1215 -1227 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.06.004

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