Lonicera japonica Thunb. in acute lung injury: A systematic review of bioactive components and multi-target mechanisms.

BACKGROUND

Acute lung injury (ALI), characterized by dysregulated host-pathogen interactions and hyperinflammatory responses, poses a critical clinical burden in viral infections such as influenza and COVID-19. Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJT), a cornerstone herb in traditional medicine for respiratory ailments exhibits multi-component synergy with documented anti-ALI properties. However, its phytochemical determinants and polypharmacological mechanisms remain underexplored.

PURPOSE: This review aims to systematically decode the bioactive phytoconstituents of LJT driving ALI protection and establish their multi-target mechanisms through integrative pharmacology.

METHODS

The information was compiled from major scientific databases such as the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Elsevier, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science. Relevant literature was extracted from the above databases using the keywords "acute lung injury," "Lonicera japonica," "anti-inflammatory," and "chlorogenic acid."

RESULTS

LJT's bioactive matrix orchestrates ALI mitigation via: 1) TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB axis suppression, reducing TNF-α, IL-6, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation; 2) Nrf2/HO-1-mediated oxidative stress resolution; 3) direct antiviral effects against influenza.

CONCLUSION

This mechanistic elucidation positions LJT as a promising multi-target phytotherapeutic against the cytokine storm phase of ALI.