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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 1: 34 - 38

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.01.004

Original Articles

Gegen Qinlian decoction (葛根芩连汤) ameliorates experimental colitis in mice via ferroptosis pathway

  • Jinke HUANG ,
  • Jiaqi ZHANG ,
  • Zhihong LIU ,
  • Jing MA ,
  • Fengyun WANG ,
  • Xudong TANG
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  • 1 Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Guangzhou 510120, China
    2 Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China

Received date: 2024-04-22

  Accepted date: 2024-10-10

  Online published: 2026-01-28

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation Project: Study on the Mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in Reshaping Macrophage Polarization via Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase 2-Mediated Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis with Dampness-Heat Syndrome(82505455)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether Gegen Qinlian decoction (葛根芩连汤, GQD) targets ferroptosis pathway to ameliorate experimental colitis in mice.

METHODS: A mice model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis was established and therapeutic effects of GQD were determined by detecting body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length and histopathological changes. Then, the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the expression levels of tight junction proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry and the expression levels of ferroptosis-associated proteins were detected by western blotting.

RESULTS: GQD treatment attenuated weight loss and DAI score, increased colon length, ameliorated intestinal histopathological damage, inhibited colonic inflammatory cytokine release and enhanced epithelial barrier function in mice with ulcerative colitis (UC). Furthermore, GQD administration obviously improved the expression of ferroptosis-associated proteins (solute carrier family 7 member 11 and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4).

CONCLUSION: GQD could exert a therapeutic effect on colitis by alleviating colon damage and promoting intestinal mucosal barrier repair in DSS-induced colitis mice through the inhibition of ferroptosis, which may provide an effective natural therapy for the treatment of UC.

Key words： colitis, ulcerative; ferroptosis; dextran sulfate; mice; Gegen Qinlian decoction

Cite this article

Jinke HUANG , Jiaqi ZHANG , Zhihong LIU , Jing MA , Fengyun WANG , Xudong TANG . Gegen Qinlian decoction (葛根芩连汤) ameliorates experimental colitis in mice via ferroptosis pathway[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2026 , 46(1) : 34 -38 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2026.01.004

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