[Chemical constituents, biological activity evaluation of Rhododendron tomentosum, and mechanisms of its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology].

The volatile components of Rhododendron tomentosum were analyzed using GC-MS technology. Combined with non-volatile components previously identified by the research group and chemical constituents reported in the literature, network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were employed to predict the core targets, signaling pathways, and key active constituents involved in the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-rheumatoid arthritis(RA) effects of R. tomentosum. A comprehensive evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of its essential oils and various extracts was conducted. A total of 63 and 97 chemical constituents with peak area percentages greater than 0.1% were identified from the essential oils of the leaves and young branches of R. tomentosum, respectively, with 41 shared components. Network pharmacology analysis reveals that NF-κB, HIF-1α, IL-1β, and EGFR are core targets for the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-RA effects of R. tomentosum, and that regulation of the PI3K/AKT and HIF-1 signaling pathways constitutes a key mechanism underlying these effects. Molecular docking results demonstrate that four constituents-lupeol, ascaridole, procyanidin B_2, and(-)-terpinen-4-ol-exhibit strong binding affinity with five key targets, i.e., NFKB1, KLF5, TOP2A, FPR1, and FPR2. The comprehensive ranking of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities across different extracts was as follows: young branch essential oil > leaf essential oil > leaf aqueous extract > young branch aqueous extract > young branch ethanol extract > leaf ethanol extract. Notably, the activities of the young branch and leaf essential oils surpassed that of vitamin C. This study highlights the multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics of R. tomentosum, providing reliable insights for further elucidating its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-RA mechanisms and a scientific basis for the further development and utilization of this species.