Huoxiang-Shihu herbal formula attenuates alcoholic-induced gastric injury by regulating the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway and inhibiting oxidative stress.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The main ingredient of the Huoxiang Shihu Chinese Medicine Formula (HS) is Chimonanthus salicifolius H. It is the first medicine of the She ethnic group. HS is a classical prescription for treating alcoholic gastritis, although its therapeutic mechanism remains uncertain.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of HS in alcoholic gastritis through network pharmacology and experimental validation.

METHODS

A mouse model of alcohol-induced gastritis was established and treated with oral HS decoction at doses of 1 g/kg, 2.5 g/kg, and 5 g/kg for two consecutive weeks. Gastric mucosal protection was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, quantification of inflammatory markers, ELISA assays, and immunohistochemistry to assess oxidative stress levels. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis identified chemical constituents in the HS formula. Potential targets were identified via network pharmacology and subsequently confirmed using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. The binding energy of key active substances and core proteins in HS was initially determined through molecular docking.

RESULTS

HS administration significantly alleviated mucosal pathology by reducing inflammatory cytokine levels, enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations. In vitro, serum containing HS reduced intracellular ROS levels and promoted cell migration and proliferation while modulating oxidative stress-related markers. A total of 51 compounds were identified from HS, with the HIF-1α/VEGF axis emerging as the core mechanism. Experimental validation confirmed that HS inhibited the HIF-1α, VEGF, and VEGFR2 expression, regulated oxidative stress indicators (NO, MDA, SOD, CAT), and reduced inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. The molecular docking results indicated that diosmin in HS had the highest binding energy with VEGFR2 protein, which was -10.6 kcal/mol, and it might be the drug substance for HS to exert anti-alcoholic gastritis.

CONCLUSION

HS protects against alcohol-induced gastric mucosal injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses through modulation of the HIF-1α/VEGF axis.