Ye Saiya, Ma Lin, Chi Yannan, Liu Ning, Liu Yue, Wei Wei, Niu Yang, Zheng Ping, Yu Jianqiang, Hai Dongmei
School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Key Laboratory of Protection, Development and Utilization of Medicinal Resources in Liupanshan Area, Ministry of Education, Yinchuan 750004, China; Colaborative Innovation Center for Ningxia Characteristic Traditional Chinese Medicine by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region & Education Ministry of P.R. China, Yinchuan 750004, China; Ningxia Characteristic Traditional Chinese Medicine Moder Engineering and Technique Research Center, Yinchuan 750004, China.
Phytomedicine. 2025 Jun;141:156664. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2025.156664. Epub 2025 Mar 18.
Acute lung injury (ALI) is a lethal condition characterized by uncontrolled pulmonary inflammatory responses, with high morbidity and mortality rates that pose a significant threat to patient health. The persistent retention of neutrophils in lung tissue and subsequent inflammatory damage represents a primary mechanism underlying the early onset of ALI disorders. In recent years, pharmaceutical research targeting these pathological processes has garnered considerable attention. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and their active ingredients, known for their safety and stability, show promising potential in treating ALI through their ability to modulate neutrophil function via multiple pathways.
This review examines the mechanisms of neutrophil involvement in the pathogenesis of ALI, investigates potential therapeutic targets and pathways through which Chinese medicines and their active ingredients regulate neutrophil function, and provides a theoretical foundation for developing novel clinical treatment strategies.
A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple databases, including Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Search terms included 'lung injury,' 'acute lung injury,' 'inflammatory lung injury,' 'inflammation,' 'active ingredient,' 'herbal,' 'traditional Chinese medicine,' 'mechanism,' 'drug,' and 'neutrophils.' The selected literature was systematically categorized and analyzed.
Our review reveals that TCM and active ingredients influence neutrophil function through four primary mechanisms to impede ALI progression: 1) reduction of neutrophil-mediated uncontrolled inflammatory responses by suppressing neutrophil hyperactivation and inhibiting neutrophil migration and infiltration; 2) attenuation of lung tissue inflammatory damage by inhibiting neutrophil-produced cytotoxic substances, including elastase granules, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and reactive oxygen species (ROS); 3) suppression of inflammatory responses by decreasing the secretion of neutrophil-derived cytokines, such as interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); and 4) enhancement of neutrophil phagocytosis and accelerate the removal of apoptotic neutrophils to eliminate harmful pathogens and promote late-stage tissue repair. These findings demonstrate that Chinese medicines and their active ingredients exhibit significant therapeutic potential in ALI disorders through the modulation of neutrophil function, providing a robust theoretical framework for their clinical applications.
Traditional Chinese medicines and their active ingredients demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory efficacy through multiple mechanisms of neutrophil function regulation, showing considerable promise for the treatment of ALI with broad clinical applications.
急性肺损伤（ALI）是一种致命性疾病，其特征为不受控制的肺部炎症反应，发病率和死亡率高，对患者健康构成重大威胁。中性粒细胞持续滞留在肺组织中并随后造成炎症损伤，是ALI疾病早期发病的主要机制。近年来，针对这些病理过程的药物研究受到了广泛关注。中药及其活性成分以其安全性和稳定性著称，通过多种途径调节中性粒细胞功能，在治疗ALI方面显示出有前景的潜力。
本综述探讨中性粒细胞参与ALI发病机制，研究中药及其活性成分调节中性粒细胞功能的潜在治疗靶点和途径，为开发新的临床治疗策略提供理论基础。
使用多个数据库进行全面的文献检索，包括Science Direct、PubMed、谷歌学术和Web of Science。检索词包括“肺损伤”“急性肺损伤”“炎症性肺损伤”“炎症”“活性成分”“草药”“中药”“机制”“药物”和“中性粒细胞”。对所选文献进行系统分类和分析。
我们的综述表明，中药及其活性成分通过四种主要机制影响中性粒细胞功能，以阻止ALI进展：1）通过抑制中性粒细胞过度活化和抑制中性粒细胞迁移与浸润，减少中性粒细胞介导的不受控制的炎症反应；2）通过抑制中性粒细胞产生的细胞毒性物质，包括弹性蛋白酶颗粒、中性粒细胞胞外陷阱（NETs）和活性氧（ROS），减轻肺组织炎症损伤；3）通过减少中性粒细胞衍生细胞因子的分泌，如白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-6和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α），抑制炎症反应；4）增强中性粒细胞吞噬作用并加速凋亡中性粒细胞的清除，以消除有害病原体并促进后期组织修复。这些发现表明，中药及其活性成分通过调节中性粒细胞功能，在ALI疾病中显示出显著的治疗潜力，为其临床应用提供了坚实的理论框架。
中药及其活性成分通过多种调节中性粒细胞功能的机制显示出显著的抗炎功效，在治疗ALI方面显示出巨大前景，具有广泛的临床应用价值。
