Exploration of Active Components in Hou-Yan-Qing Oral Liquid and Its Alleviative Effect on Acute Pharyngitis via NRF2/NF-κB Pathways
Abstract
The Hou-Yan-Qing oral liquid (HYQ) is a popular traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of pharyngitis. However, due to its complex composition, little attention has been directed toward the analysis of its mechanism and active components. An ammonia-induced acute pharyngitis rat model was established, with HYQ’s effects and mechanism assessed via histopathology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot. Furthermore, the active components of HYQ were analyzed using HPLC and ultra performance LC (UPLC)-QTOF-MS in conjunction with an in vitro lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cell model. Treatment with HYQ significantly reduced the levels of cytokines such as pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α]) and inflammatory mediators (Prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]), inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-LOX, p-IKKβ, p-nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and p-inhibitor of kappaBα (p-IκBα) proteins, and promoted the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1, and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 proteins. Chemical profiling of ten batch HYQ specimens via HPLC and UPLC-QTOF-MS established characteristic fingerprints and identified 24 shared components. Using spectrum–effect relationship modeling, which employed gray relational analysis to correlate chromatographic peaks with bioactivity indices, we found that components such as 25S-Inokosterone and β-ecdysterone may be the key active components of HYQ’s anti-inflammatory effect. Subsequent validation confirmed that β-ecdysterone (1–100 μM) exhibited no cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, treatment with β-ecdysterone significantly reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and inflammatory mediators (PGE2), and inhibited the expression of COX-2, 5-LOX, p-IKKβ, p-NF-κB, and p-IκBα proteins.
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BibTeX
@article{xia2026exploration,
title = {{Exploration of Active Components in Hou-Yan-Qing Oral Liquid and Its Alleviative Effect on Acute Pharyngitis via NRF2/NF-κB Pathways}},
author = {Mingjun Xia and Heng Zhang and Weiting Xiao and Qiongli Zeng and Wei Liu and Yang Tang and Chang Liu and Qing Wu and Weiwei Zhang and Qi Hu and Xionglong Wang and Zhen Li and Wei Yue and Jinwei Yang and Yeqin Tao and Shunxiang Li and Wen Ouyang},
journal = {Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1248/bpb.b26-00227},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/49/8/49_b26-00227/_article},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exploration of Active Components in Hou-Yan-Qing Oral Liquid and Its Alleviative Effect on Acute Pharyngitis via NRF2/NF-κB Pathways
AU - Mingjun Xia
AU - Heng Zhang
AU - Weiting Xiao
AU - Qiongli Zeng
AU - Wei Liu
AU - Yang Tang
AU - Chang Liu
AU - Qing Wu
AU - Weiwei Zhang
AU - Qi Hu
AU - Xionglong Wang
AU - Zhen Li
AU - Wei Yue
AU - Jinwei Yang
AU - Yeqin Tao
AU - Shunxiang Li
AU - Wen Ouyang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/13
JO - Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
DO - 10.1248/bpb.b26-00227
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/49/8/49_b26-00227/_article
AB - The Hou-Yan-Qing oral liquid (HYQ) is a popular traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of pharyngitis. However, due to its complex composition, little attention has been directed toward the analysis of its mechanism and active components. An ammonia-induced acute pharyngitis rat model was established, with HYQ’s effects and mechanism assessed via histopathology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot. Furthermore, the active components of HYQ were analyzed using HPLC and ultra performance LC (UPLC)-QTOF-MS in conjunction with an in vitro lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cell model. Treatment with HYQ significantly reduced the levels of cytokines such as pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α]) and inflammatory mediators (Prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]), inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-LOX, p-IKKβ, p-nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and p-inhibitor of kappaBα (p-IκBα) proteins, and promoted the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1, and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 proteins. Chemical profiling of ten batch HYQ specimens via HPLC and UPLC-QTOF-MS established characteristic fingerprints and identified 24 shared components. Using spectrum–effect relationship modeling, which employed gray relational analysis to correlate chromatographic peaks with bioactivity indices, we found that components such as 25S-Inokosterone and β-ecdysterone may be the key active components of HYQ’s anti-inflammatory effect. Subsequent validation confirmed that β-ecdysterone (1–100 μM) exhibited no cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, treatment with β-ecdysterone significantly reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and inflammatory mediators (PGE2), and inhibited the expression of COX-2, 5-LOX, p-IKKβ, p-NF-κB, and p-IκBα proteins.
SN - 1347-5215
SN - 0918-6158
ER -