Integrated pathological assessment and multi-omics analysis of the effects of Pinellia ternata aqueous extract on lung and spleen dysfunction in a rat model of phlegm-dampness obstruction.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Pinellia ternata is widely used to treat respiratory and digestive disorders due to its efficacy in resolving phlegm, alleviating cough, and stopping nausea.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Guided by the traditional concept that "the spleen generates phlegm and the lung stores it," this study established a sulfur-smoke combined with cold-damp exposure model in Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of P. ternata aqueous extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were assigned to blank (CK), model (MD), positive-drug (Y1/Y2), and low-, medium-, or high-dose P. ternata extract groups (0.75/1.5/3.0 g/kg). Lung function was assessed using a non-invasive Buxco system across 12 respiratory parameters. Lung and spleen pathology and mucin (MUC5AC/MUC5B) expression were evaluated by H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Plasma IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, PCT, and other inflammatory markers were measured by ELISA. Plasma metabolite profiles were analyzed using LC-MS/GC-MS platforms, and lung and spleen transcriptomes were examined to determine gene expression changes. In parallel, the chemical constituents of the P.ternata aqueous extract were characterized using widely targeted metabolomics and high-performance liquid chromatography, and molecular docking was employed to elucidate the interactions between individual constituents and potential therapeutic targets.

RESULTS: After 28 days of modeling, airway obstruction was most severe in the MD and low-dose extract groups, whereas the medium- and high-dose groups showed no significant difference from CK or the positive-drug groups, indicating effective symptom relief at adequate doses. The extract, especially at high dose, markedly improved lung and tracheal inflammation and restored spleen tissue architecture. It dose-dependently suppress MUC5AC overexpression in lung and tracheal tissues, while showing variable effects on MUC5B. The extract also reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines and TGF-β and PCT levels, improving systemic immune imbalance. Metabolomics revealed that high-dose P.ternata downregulated amino acids related to mucin synthesis (e.g., proline) and inflammatory lysophosphatidylcholines, while increasing immune-regulatory lipids such as ω-3 PUFA and S1P. These metabolic shifts were accompanied by upregulation of key genes in the Notch pathway in the spleen and suppression of cytokine-storm-related signaling in the lung, including NF-κB(nuclear factor kappa-B), JAK-STAT(Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription), and PI3K-Akt(phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)) signaling pathways, collectively reducing inflammation and correcting metabolic dysregulation. Combined targeted metabolomics and high-performance liquid chromatography identified that the major constituent categories in Pinellia ternata aqueous extract are organic acids, alkaloids, and nucleosides. Analysis of constituent-target interactions revealed that nucleoside compounds exhibited the strongest binding affinity to the predicted targets.

CONCLUSION: This study, through integrated pathological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses, elucidates both the core pathological features of phlegm-dampness lung obstruction and the modern biological basis for the traditional role of P. ternata in "strengthening the spleen and resolving phlegm." Importantly, nucleoside compounds were identified as key active constituents contributing to its therapeutic effects. Collectively, these findings offer experimental support for the classical TCM concept that spleen dysfunction leads to phlegm accumulation in the lung.