Yinhuapinggan granules regulate PI3K/AKT and RAS/MAPK pathways to inhibit Streptococcus Pneumoniae-induced inflammatory responses.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of pneumonia and other diseases. First-line antibiotics work for infections; however, drug-resistant strains complicate their control. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may help treat drug-resistant infections, although the underlying mechanism is unclear. This study explored the efficacy and mechanism of action of Yinhuapinggan Granules (YHPG) in infected mice, focusing on the PI3K/AKT and RAS/MAPK pathways. A mouse model of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection was established using an intranasal instillation approach. Different doses of Yinhuapinggan granules were then continuously administered for six days after infection. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemical staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis and western blotting were used to assess the effects of Yinhuapinggan Granules on the histopathological changes in the lungs, the levels of inflammatory factors and the expression of relevant signaling pathway proteins in mice. YHPG reduces lung damage, inflammation and neutrophil infiltration in mice. These findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of YHPG are associated with the observed phenomena. YHPG inhibited the upregulation of streptococcus pneumoniae-induced pathway-associated signaling proteins (IκBα, JNK, P38 and ERK), which may be related to the regulation of the PI3K/AKT and RAS/MAPK signaling pathways. The findings of this study provide experimental evidence for the efficacy and anti-inflammatory mechanism of YHPG against pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. The present study confirms that YHPG particles can exhibit therapeutic effects in Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected mice by modulating the PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK pathways.