Revealing the dual mechanisms of Wuwei Wentong Chubi Capsule in alleviating rheumatoid arthritis: synergistic anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant effects.

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial hyperplasia and multi-organ damage. While existing therapies alleviate symptoms, they are accompanied by significant adverse effects. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) drive RA progression through inflammation-coagulation interactions, necessitating safer multitarget drugs. Jianpi Wenyang Tongluo Prescription-Wuwei Wentong Chubi Capsule (WWT), a traditional Chinese medicine formula targeting the "cold-dampness obstruction syndrome" in RA, has demonstrated clinical efficacy, yet its mechanism remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic effects of WWT on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) rats with cold-dampness syndrome and explore its underlying mechanisms in regulating inflammation-coagulation balance and organ protection.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

AA rats with cold-dampness syndrome were established using Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) and a climate chamber, and treated with WWT (low/medium/high doses). Synovial pathology, organ function, inflammatory, and coagulation parameters were evaluated. Molecular docking, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were employed to identify key targets, with Western blot (WB) and immunofluorescence used to validate JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation. A coculture model of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and FLS from RA patients was constructed for in vitro validation.

RESULTS

In AA rats, WWT dose-dependently decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-17) and pro-coagulant factors (PAF, FDP), while increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and anticoagulant factor PGI2 (P < 0.01). WWT reversed synovial mitochondrial vacuolation and protected liver and kidney function. Bioinformatics analysis and molecular docking revealed JAK2/STAT3 as the core target, with wogonin and icariin stably binding to JAK2 (ΔG = -8.2/-7.7 kcal/mol) and STAT3 (ΔG = -7.9/-9.9 kcal/mol). WWT rescued inflammation and hypercoagulation induced by the JAK2/STAT3 activator coumermycin A1. In vitro, WWT-containing serum inhibited the proliferation of cocultured RA-PBMCs and FLS and the secretion of pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant factors by blocking JAK2/STAT3 and STAT3 nuclear translocation.

CONCLUSIONS

WWT alleviates RA progression by restoring inflammation-coagulation balance and protecting multi-organ function through inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. This study integrates traditional Chinese medicine theory with molecular pathological mechanisms, providing a scientific basis for WWT as a multitarget therapeutic for RA.