Shensiqigui tablets alleviate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the hedgehog/wnt-β-catenin pathway.

Background: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a refractory disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis. Shensiqigui Tablets (SSQGT), a combination of Codonopsis pilosula, Astragalus, and Angelica, is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, SSQGT may be a potential therapeutic agent for managing PF. This study aimed to investigate the effects of SSQGT on PF and its potential mechanisms.

Methods: This study established a mouse model of PF through a single intratracheal injection of bleomycin (BLM) and used a TGF-β1-induced HFL-1 cell model. The experiment included control, model (BLM/TGF-β1), and treatment groups (pirfenidone, compound Biejiaruangan tablet (BJRGT), low-dose SSQGT, medium-dose SSQGT, and high-dose SSQGT). Histopathological changes and collagen deposition in lung tissues were observed using Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Masson staining. Inflammatory exudation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was assessed using ELISA, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO. Oxidative stress markers SOD, GSH, and Malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using commercial kits. mRNA and protein expression levels in lung tissues and models, including α-SMA, vimentin, collagen I, caspase-3, TGF-β, and the Hedgehog/Wnt-β-catenin pathway, were evaluated using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis.

Results: SSQGT significantly alleviated BLM-induced weight loss and lung injury in mice and reduced HYP levels and collagen deposition. Additionally, SSQGT improved oxidative stress markers (decreased MDA levels and increased SOD and GSH activity) and mitigated inflammatory responses (reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO levels) and (downregulated α-SMA, collagen I, caspase-3, and TGF-β). Further mechanistic analysis showed that SSQGT inhibited the Hedgehog/Wnt-β-catenin pathway.

Conclusion: SSQGT alleviates BLM- or TGF-β1-induced PF by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammation through the suppression of the Hedgehog/Wnt-β-catenin pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for PF.